Early Onset Terrible Twos

You know what? Eli's made a name for himself for being a very hyperactive and strong-willed little person who knows how and where to throw a high magnitude tantrum to most irritate his mother.

But lately. Lately he's an angel! He has been volunteering to wipe down the kitchen table, because, as he put it, "Jesus told me to clean up this whole house." And he's been sharing with Carson. And he's been generously communicating his feelings of love and gratitude towards me. And he's been obedient. And he's seriously been this whole new little boy who is starting to morph into a darling little young man! It's been so rewarding!

And then there's Carson.

I should have been more prepared for our soon-to-be two-year old's fits and defiance. But for some reason, the "NO!"s, the throwing food on the floor, the refusal to sleep, the clinginess, and the temper tantrums have caught me off guard all over again.

This morning, I woke up to Carson shoving a jar of peanut butter in my face. He has decided to put himself on a strict peanut butter only diet for the past two days, and apparently he was ready for breakfast. Heaven forbid I put the peanut butter on toast! That will be thrown across the kitchen in a quick hurry. Peanut butter in a bowl. With a spoon. Is the only food he'll eat that won't take flight as soon as I put it in front of him.

Don't let the smiles fool you. See those bruises on his head? The evidence of his sleep strikes. He had been going to bed so good for us! We finally had him sleeping through the night consistently! And then BAM! Sleep strike. Complete with self-inflicted head banging against the side of his crib to dramatize his anger.

To prevent the head banging, Jeff discovered if he stood lurking just outside Carson's door as he is falling asleep, Carson will eventually quiet down. If we move the tiniest inch, Carson whimpers, and if we completely go out of view, the head banging starts. I find it odd that Carson finds comfort in seeing someone hiding in the shadows just outside his room while he's drifting off, when that is the one thing I never want to see as I'm falling asleep, but hey. It gets the job done.

He is starting to push the boundaries in every aspect of his life. Like how he knows he's supposed to stay on the sidewalk to ride bikes. So he does this while mischievously eyeing me to see if his cleverness will be caught.

He has been demanding equal treatment. So he's resisting his high chair, refusing a sippy cup, and will not do anything different from how Eli does it. Problem -- his food goes everywhere when he's not in a high chair, he dumps his water all over the floor, and he does not have the coordination of a three-year old which leaves him irritated he can't do everything Eli does.

Does anyone want to borrow Carson for the next year? I don't know if I'm ready for another two-year old!! As we always say -- His cuteness is his defense mechanism. We can never stay mad at that adorable little face!