So I know I have always heard the term "terrible two's" and have witnessed a little from my nephews, etc. I did NOT, however, expect my sweet, innocent little Kami Ray to completely morph into this moody, whiney, jealous, spiteful little creature! She is still the same sweet girl but it is starting to wear me out a little with all the tantrums and such. It breaks my heart a little because when you factor in Mommy's and Daddy's full-time jobs, it seems like all the time we spend together, we are doing nothing but time-outs and saying "No MA'AM!" I feel like it is robbing us of the happy together-time that we already get so little of! She is still loving and sweet for the most part, it's just constant mood-swings and a very short fuse. This whole thing really did not start until the last month or two, but now it seems like it is just getting worse and worse.
The first thing that we noticed was that she started wanting to stay up later and she did not want to go to bed by herself. She has always been such a great sleeper, and has slept in her own bed since Day 1 (with only occasional treats of sleeping with us). We started letting her snuggle with us on the couch for a while in the evenings after bath and everything was finished (this was as much for me as it was for her... of course). She will end up going to sleep there, then we'll move her into her room. This isn't a problem, but also she wakes up every single night somewhere between 1 and 3 AM screaming and running to our bed. It's like once she realizes she is alone, she is afraid. We leave her bathroom light on so it isn't dark, have her little animals sleep with her, tell her there are no such thing as monsters, etc... but she just won't have it! The only way she will go to sleep on her own is if she can watch "Clipperd" (AKA Clifford the Big Red Dog). I don't guess this is a big deal to let her do that, I just don't want her to completely depend on the TV or Mommy/Daddy to be able to sleep!
The sleep issue is obviously not the biggest issue, however. She is just constantly testing her limits! She wants everything WHEN she wants it, HOW she wants it, and if it doesn't play out that way.... there is HELL to pay! Mornings are always rough.. she doesn't want to get up and get ready, then she cries and makes a big fuss when I have to leave her at daycare. And stingy is not even the word! If Kensie so much as LOOKS at a toy, she is diving to grab it first!
We are doing the time-out thing, and it's so exhausting! She screams and cries, gets up, we put her back; she kicks and screams, etc., gets up, we put her back; and on and on it goes until she finally wears herself out. I just don't know how long it's going to take before she realizes the pattern here. I can't count the times I have said "Kami, you have to ask me nicely WITHOUT crying," "Kam, you have to play nice with Sister," "Kami, you cannot hit, kick, strangle the dog," ETC, ETC, ETC. She really tests your patience... that is for sure.
I know it sounds like I am whining too, and I completely understand that this is a stage that most kids have to go through. I also realize that she will eventually move past it. I am just SUPER ready for that to happen. I want my pleasant little one to get back to normal! I am open to any suggestions from those of you who have been where I am and made it to the other side :)
On the other foot, thankfully, Kensie is at the PERFECT age! She is still the squishy, snuggly little baby but is also starting to get more active, talking, interacting, and understanding what is going on. Her vocabulary is growing so fast and I swear, the child understands every word you say to her! She has such a happy personality and is constantly smiling and laughing. I really believe that Kensie has brought a great balance to the whole situation addressed above (K-Ray's attitude problem). She brings out the best in Kami... most of the time. Looking ahead, though, I am just praying that Kami gets OUT of the Terrible Two's before Kensie gets INTO them!
Say a prayer for us. Parenting isn't always easy, but it is ALWAYS a blessing, and I am so glad I am not in it alone. I realize how lucky I am to have found a man that is willing to stick it out with me and enjoy both the good times AND the not-so good! We are trying our best to make our children grow up to be sweet, happy people! It's just wearing us out a little in the process! :-D
<3
Jamie
