Thank You, Idina Menzel!

Or maybe the thanks should go to Stephen Schwartz, the composer. Or maybe thanks are due to the original Broadway cast of Wicked, since if they hadn't recorded a CD, I wouldn't own the song that changed my morning to one of (insert descriptive perjorative noun of your own choosing here) to one of, well, something approaching normalcy.

The Baby (who is actually now a toddler, but is still my baby. why must he grow up? and if he must grow up, why can't he FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD stop screaming?!?) had spent the morning either (1) screaming for no apparent reason, (2) riding around on my hip and whining mixed with screaming until I would put him in his crib, or (3) screaming because I had put him in his crib. After round 5 (actual count--not an exaggeration!) of this super-fun game, I was in his room trying to sort laundry, when he burst into a grin, squealed with delight, and went running to the living room. Curious, I followed him, and found him sitting in a chair in front of the computer, bobbing his head, and HAPPY (read: not screaming), listening to "No Good Deed" from the Wicked soundtrack.

About 15 minutes earlier, I had started listening to one of the ten-year-old's playlists from the songs on our computer, in an effort to distract myself from the screaming. The baby had expressed zero interest so far in a variety of danceable pop songs, and even U2... but Idina Menzel? Sold! As the song was winding down, I had to wonder if he would respond that favorably to the whole soundtrack, and not just that song...? Jackpot! And while he seemed to like all the music, he really responded to the songs with Ms. Menzel. He even started dancing to "The Wizard and I".

Plus, he stayed not-screamy for an entire hour and a half afterward.

Idina, I am now your biggest fan.