no, really! i mean that with all sincerity. i love how two year-olds are like little sponges, soaking up everything around them and exploding in their knowledge and abilities. it's absolutely amazing to watch!
but.
along with all those new cognitive abilities also comes that infamous fight for autonomy.
you know what i mean.
"i do it!"
"my turn!"
"miiine!!"
or, if you're choi boy and still mixing up your pronouns, it sounds like this:
"you do it!"
"your turn!"
"yoooours!!"
he sounds so very generous, but really, the sentiment is very much the same.
and of course, we also get our shares of "no!" and "no want it!"
yup. super fun.
don't get me wrong, most of the day, cb is as sweet as can be.
but, there are definitely pockets of the day when we see a cb that thinks he is way too cool for his lame old 'rents.
we get the bargaining,
"mommy do it? mommy clean up?"
the running away,
this is the one time in my life that i will be faster than cb, so it actually cracks me up as i run after him. for now.
and the trying to get out of it by being cute.
that one works more than i'd like to admit. :)
oh, but my favorite?
the epic tantrum.
mmmhmmm. 15 plus minutes of screaming and crying and pure stubbornness. they are farther and fewer between than the other behaviors, but they are present. the whys of the tantrums vary but we try and keep our reaction to it consistent. we *try* to remain calm, ride it out with cb and when he's ready, "debrief" with him and continue on with whatever caused the tantrum without giving in to his demands. of course, there may have been a time or two when i proclaimed in frustration, "you will not win!" but that's another story...;)
two-year old cb, know that you will not win in these situations. because i love you too much to let you win. right now, appa and i know better than you, though we fully admit there will be a day when you know better than us! we want what is best for you. we want to keep you safe and we want to help you become a kind and respectful human.
so, though you might be stubborn now, i am more stubborn. and i'll continue to be that stubborn so i can help you work through these tantrums in order to teach you how to take all those new skills and knowledge that you are acquiring daily and use them to become even more awesome than you already are.
i love you, baby. i love you something fierce.
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Oh Grace... I read this on my phone on the way home today, and even before you commented on MY post about tantrums, I itched to comment on yours (I don't comment often since I'm usually reading on my RSS reader). All I want to say is... oh my sister from another mister... I feel you, I know you, I AM you. It is amazing to know that you are going through almost exactly the same thing, so far away. Let's get through this together!!!!
ReplyDeletePlease know that you are not alone .... In fact as I was reading your post, I was thinking "I'm glad I'm not alone!" These little ones are so cute, sweet, funny, adorable. And yet. They are also SO FRUSTRATING sometimes. I like to say about the two's: "They are the best of times, they are the worst of times." (Ya know, just to quote a lil' Dickens :) What scares me is that some people say the threes are actually the hard age. Oy!
ReplyDeleteoh, grace...i am right there with you!! leo tests his independence and stubbornness (and my patience) daily! lately i've been hearing a lot of "FINE!!!"'s along with those nasty tantrums, whiny pouts, and "e-o do it!!". it'll wear a mom out. and sometimes turn me into the worst mom in the world. thank you for writing this...i can always use the reminder that i am not alone; to stay calm; and ride out this difficult phase.
ReplyDeleteTwo is an amazing age. It's so amazing to see their personalities develop...the good and the bad. And I can see why the cute act works so well!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny. Either I blocked out all the tantrums at two (quite possible) or we just had a lot of smooth sailing. Granted, we definitely had tantrums... but NOTHING compared to the threes. Sigh. Hang in there Mama, you're going to get through this phase!
ReplyDeleteOh yes - tantrums are so much fun aren't they? And just an fyi there is much more fun to come with the 3s and the 4s so I've been warned :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but CB has been such an angel for a year, I'm relieved to hear he's a typical 2 year old too. Toddlers are bi-polar...happy and laughing one minute, crying the next, then happy again. I always say if you could figure them out, you'd be a millionaire!
ReplyDeletethanks for having a little boy ahead of me. so i can learn and follow. haha. oh gosh... how are we to resist their supercutenesspowers? you seem like you are doing great as a mother. standing firm is totally key right? love your photos!
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