Barbie says, "Shhhhh..."

Ahhh, our house.  I literally count the minutes some days until it is quiet.  We all know and it is well documented that Lucy has the gift of gab, even if she isn't talking to anyone but herself.  And then there is Harper who also likes to chat, and sometimes to herself, but also in a high pitched "this is me being a girl" voice.  Or she is screaming at Graham.  Or Lucy.  Or she is telling me a 23 minute account of a 25 minute show she saw 2 weeks ago.  Complete with hand gestures.  And then there is Graham.  Our once quiet Graham who couldn't hear the world but then got tubes a year ago and now talks perhaps more than anyone in the house, but with crashing noises, occasional falling down, repetition, and a sense of humor all his own.  Add Kidz Bop, Lucy's One Direction, Harper's ever going dance party, my talk radio and all the other household noises that just happen with 5 people around and you get one noise saturated house.
With that being said.  I had low expectations today when the girls were dropped off at school and I had Graham to myself this morning to be followed by Harper and her friend Anna for the afternoon.  So I was very surprised when my little man carried his Spider Man car downstairs next to where I was working and began playing.  But not with Spider Man.  With Barbies.  Folks, he played with Barbies for 3 hours today.  Even when the girls came home and they moved onto other things. He played with Barbies.  He took all of their clothes off and chose new ones for each one.  I helped him dress them but then he would disappear again to put them in the giant pink Barbie car and away they would go.  In almost silence.  So quiet.  So uninterrupted.  Work was finished.  Chores were finished. 
I know what some people think about boys playing with dolls.  But I will take it any time.  It made him happy but most importantly, it made things quiet.  Quiet, in the middle of the day.