Queen of Rambles

First, can I just say I hate my new neighbors? There’s music blaring and giggly girls galore. When can we move? We have no moving plans, but if these bastards are going to live next to us that might change.

Maybe I need to take Erik to them and leave him for awhile. That would be a fitting punishment for the crime. They can deal with a tired, cranky, mule headed toddler.

I think we’ve hit the terrible twos. He’s a happy, happy boy as long as he’s getting his own way. Who isn’t? The minute you try to put on his shoes a full scale war breaks out. It’s not that he hates shoes. He just wants to put them on by himself. He’s not capable of doing more than getting the toe in the (usually wrong) shoe, but that doesn’t make the war any less winnable for me. Then he has to throw a tantrum all the way down the stairs since I carry him instead of letting him fall head over heels down 34 cement steps. He has fun playing in the parking lot, but as soon as it’s time to get in the car, his back becomes impossibly contorted and I can’t get him in the harness. Today when I took him out of the car at the gym a part of his harness contraption was unbuckled. I don’t know if I just missed it or if he managed to undo it himself.

He had a howling fit in Target the whole time we were there. He didn’t want to ride in a cart and he let the whole world know it. I wouldn’t mind letting him walk, but he won’t follow me so ride in the cart he must.

We went to the pool today and he had a total blast, but he absolutely refused to let me hold his hand, so every time we’d get out and walk over to the slide (he LOVES the slide) he would run and I would try to follow along behind him to catch him if he fell. He fell twice, but I only caught him once. The thud of his head hitting the tile was sickening. He has a goose egg on his skull, but I don’t think he has a concussion. He screamed bloody murder for about three minutes, but then he wanted to run again.

When he doesn’t get his way he throws spectacular fits with failing fists and feet. It’s very hard not to laugh, but I do the proper thing and ignore him. After awhile I’ll come over and talk to him calmly and give him his options. Sometimes he’ll get so amused with himself he’ll start laughing right in middle of his fit. Silly, silly boy.

He also wants to hit and scratch me in the face, but I don’t stand for that. No way, no how. Why on earth do some parents insist it is cute when their kid hits them? There’s nothing cute about it.

I know this is what toddler-hood is all about. He’s exploring his limits and testing his boundaries. He’s figuring out what he can and can not do. He’s learning how to interact with people and that his mom and dad are in charge. I guess we are supposed to be happy that he’s so stubborn and strong-willed. I am very glad he’s got such a pronounced independent streak and hope he never loses the will to fight for what he believes in. He just better stop hitting.

He really is totally adorable and I love him more and more every day, which seems so impossible but is so true. Even though he and I wage war on a daily basis, I can’t imagine a better little guy. He’s sweet and charming and quick with a smile. He’s huggable and lovable and loves to cuddle. He may be a monster, but he’s my monster and I love him. I can’t imagine life without him.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 at 7:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.