Terrible Two's

We have officially hit this stage in development. And let me say, I.HATE.IT. As I'm sure any parent who has dealt with a child this age completely understands.

My sweet, little boy is nowhere to be found.

Before this mysterious transformation, he would eat like a champ and stop when he was done. Now when he's done? He takes the food and mashes it between his hands, runs it through his hair, and tosses it on the floor.

Before, I would call his name and he would turn and look at me, ready for whatever it was I had to say, ask, etc. Now? He keeps on walkin'. No indication whatsoever that words have even left my mouth.

Listening has completely gone out the window....and it ain't coming back. I ask him to do something. And ask. And ask. And ASK. Whether it's "stop" "put it back" "pick it up" ...ANYTHING. He pays me ZERO attention.

So we have started mini time-outs. And I'll give you two guesses as to how fond of those he is.

And he is now totally destructive with his toys. Throwing them. Slamming them down. Beating them. Pushing them over. So we have started taking them away until he can play with them nicely.

His temper is definitely starting to rear its ugly head. When he can't open something, or when one of his ride-on toys gets stuck, he's screaming bloody murder.

I tell ya...he's an absolute terror. I feel like all I do is ask nicely, yell and swat and all he does is whine and cry. There is no in between. There is no cuddly, little boy anymore. And I miss him. At this rate, he will be an only child.