Has it begun?

The Terrible Twos?

Today and yesterday have been VERY difficult days for Landon and I.

Landon has, for his whole life, been an incredibly easy sleeper. He has never had issues going to sleep - he would get his blankie and paci and run to the bed and wait to be put down. You could lay him in the bed, and he would put himself to sleep.

About 8 weeks ago we cut off the pacifier - cold turkey! Since that day going to bed has been a nightmare! He kicks, screams, and cries himself to sleep.

These past few weeks (really these past two weeks) he has started with, "NO!" I try to give choices when ever possible when there is a decision to be made (not all things are up for negotiation); but I do like to let him choose some things - "Do you want to wear your blue shoes, or your white shoes?" "Do you want do a puzzle or blow bubbles?" "Do you want green beans or peas?" etc. Lately though, he has been going back and forth on answers. When asked about shoes he will say, "Blue shoes!" so I get the blue shoes, then comes, "NO! I want my WHITE shoes!" I usually say, "You said you wanted the blue shoes, so you get the blue shoes." I've tried a few times to go with the flow and go with the white shoes, but then he wants the blue shoes, and it could go on all morning. So I try to stick with the first answer.

These past two days have been really bad. For example, on the way home this evening from a friend's house we had a MELTDOWN. We had run over to my friend Margaret's house to drop off her daughter. We grabbed some Wendy's on the way. When asked if he wanted to eat, he said no. I was fine with that; he was having a good time playing and it was a bit earlier than his normal dinner time. When it was time to leave, I opened the car door to let him climb in. (He always wants to do it himself!) He wouldn't climb in the car. He was saying, "NO! I not get in!" I told him if he didn't get in, I was going to put him in (which I know he doesn't want me to do). He says, "NO!" again, so I put him in the car. He screams and throws a fit. I tell him to get in his car seat, "NO! I not get in." I put him in his car seat. More throwing and fitting! So the drive home is a bit crazy. I'm trying to 1) calm him down, and 2) explain why he lost the chance to get in the car and seat himself. We get home and he is a bit calmer. I had told him on the drive home that he could climb out of the car by himself if he wanted to when we got home. When we get home, he says he doesn't want to get out - "I get out at Mimi's house!" I again tell him, if he doesn't get down by himself I will have to get him out of the car. I end up getting him out of the car, and he is kicking and screaming. At this point, I pick him up and bring him inside. Then, more drama. It is bath night.

My sweet boy who used to LOVE to take a bath has had an aversion to taking a bath for some time now. He pooped in the tub one evening, and since that day, he has not wanted to get in the tub. We now go to the bath kicking and screaming. He has to stand in the tub while we bathe him and wash his hair. In about the last two weeks he has started sitting on his knees in the tub - but still will NOT sit on his bottom. About 3 times now, he has begun to start playing again after the washing of his body and hair. VERY SLOW PROGRESS. But of course this evening with all of the drama that has already unfolded - bathing was a HUGE issue. I would have skipped the bath tonight, but I did that last night when we were having a bad day as well. It is just too hard to do it by myself when he is like that. So we did the mighty fast bath. He stood and screamed the whole time. We did skip the teeth brushing (which he loves to do) because I asked if he was ready to calm down and brush his teeth and he said, "NO!" So, I skipped it! We went straight to his room, put on his PJs and sat in his rocker. I tried to calm him down, and talk with him. I gave him the choice of singing or going to sleep. He didn't want either one. I offered the choices again, and decided we needed to pray and sing. I said OUR prayers, while he said, "No Mama!" repeatedly the whole time. I NEEDED TO PRAY!! I was praying for a calm spirit and a peaceful heart - More for me I think! After that he wanted me to sing. We sang a made-up song about the Little Red Hen (from the book - that is another long story - I'll save it for later!). That seemed to calm him down a bit. Then I sang "Amazing Grace" and closed my eyes. He was slowly calming down. He then put his head on my shoulder and asked me to sing "Monkeys" which I assumed was "Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" which we often sing. But no, he kept telling me - "The monkeys are swinging in trees." Well, I don't know a song about monkeys swinging in trees. I tried to get him to tell me how it went, but he couldn't tell me. He knew I was singing it wrong, but couldn't tell me how it went. This gets him upset again. I try to offer to sing another song, but he doesn't want it. I stand up to sing our last song, a song I've sang to him every night that I've put him to bed since he was about 3 months old. He starts crying because he doesn't want to go to bed. I know the boy is exhausted and just needs to sleep. I know he is hungry but refused to eat. I put him in his bed where he screams and cries because he doesn't want to go to bed. I did give him a cereal bar to eat if he wanted it. He didn't at first, but I think he ended up eating it later. I'll have to go check when I finish here. He did finally go to sleep (well, he got quiet) about 10 minutes ago, after about 15 minutes of screaming.

These kinds of evenings wear me down. I get so frustrated with the situation. Then I feel bad because I have to just walk away for a moment and gather myself. I know the twos and threes are tough, and I know I'm not the only person in the world who has raised a child, but it breaks my heart that he gets so upset.