Kate and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad two's!

Sure, she looks angelic but Miss Kate has morphed into something I am a bit unfamiliar with....a "terrible" two year old. Let me share just a few of the things she does every day:

1. Kate takes her shoes and socks off a million times a day (often throwing them or taking them off one second after I have put them on because we are walking out the door.).  She also tries to change clothes (even f I let her pick them out).  

2.  She climbs out of her crib at every nap and bedtime (okay, so it is not a crib but a pack and play in the closet of our corporate apartment but you get the drift). I would put her in a bed but we won't have hers for another few weeks. Also, I am afraid she'll never nap in a bed! And she needs a nap (well, I do anyway cause that is when I blog).

3. Kate refuses and I mean refuses to walk. I cannot carry her all the time because a) she is heavy and weighs about 1/4  to 1/3 of what I weigh and b) the car accident has really injured my back and neck. So, she will just plop down in the middle of the road/sidewalk/store etc. and refuse to budge.  I have tried everything from asking her kindly to walk, to gently dragging her, to counting to 3, to speaking very firmly, to plopping down next to her and waiting (if it is safe). The problem is that I do not always have the time to wait her out.

4. She will throw a screaming fit like nobody's business.  Last week we were in Whole Foods and I bought some yogurt.  She immediately began screaming for the yogurt which I was not going to give her in the store (not to mention that I did not have a spoon).  So, I calmly told her she could have it at home.  Well, she screamed so loud the entire store was staring at me.  And she screamed for at least 10 minutes while I finished shopping and stood in line.  Will and Harry were so embarrassed (so was I).

Now here is where I must digress....People, when you see a two year old throwing a fit PLEASE do not make Mom feel worse by giving her nasty looks.  We are struggling here people.  I am a good Mom.  I do not spoil my kids.  I set limits.  There is nothing I can do to make her stop screaming.  Please don't make me feel worse!

I will say that the young men behind me in line at Whole Foods were very sweet and they flirted with Kate and did get her to stop screaming.  I thought the whole store was going to applaud when that happened.  But I  have been on the receiving end of some unkind looks and I feel so small.  Lately, when Kate misbehaves in public, I hear Dave say (very loudly), "Oh Kate-- you are so two!"  I think he gets embarrassed too.

5. Kate insists on doing everything herself (socks and shoes, buckling the carseat etc...).  I am all for her gaining independence and doing this stuff herself but sometimes she needs help and that usually results in a  tantrum.

Harry and Will were busy boys and they challenged me when they were toddlers but I can tell you that they were NOTHING like this. They did not throw tantrums.  I am not sure if it is because I am older or if girls are more dramatic. Maybe it is because of all of the changes she is experiencing with the move.  Did I mention that her bedroom is a closet? But little Miss Kate's temper tantrums are killing me.  They really are.  By the time Dave gets home, I feel as though the life has been sucked out of me. This week he is out of town and I don't know how I am going to do it.

A year ago I would have described Kate in one word...sweet. Now she is extra spicy! I do love my lil Katie Ru more than words can express and she can be so sweet and so funny and kind. But she is going through something right now and it is not pretty.  PLEASE tell me that this is normal two year old girl behavior and that it will pass quickly.

P.S. I was very hesitant to post this because I believe that kids live up to our expectations of them.  Therefore, I try to only say, think, and write about all of the good in my children as much as possible. Kids tend to live up to their labels. Also, Kate is very sweet (deep down) and I don't want y'all to think she is a brat. However, I really am struggling with this phase and I know others probably are too.  This is our "scrapbook" and this is what we are going through now.