Dear Spike:
I'm sitting by your bedside, hovering over your tiny sleeping body, overwhelmed by your beauty — and terrified by the prospect of waking you up.
You finally passed out, an hour or so ago, after a fit of mad writhing and screaming.
"Milk!" you cried. "Please, please, please give me my milk!!!"
"Nooooooooooo!" you protested when I gave you a sippy cup of milk. "I don't want it! I don't wan't it!"
You tossed the cup halfway across the room.
"Nooooooooooo!" you screamed as it bounced across the floor. "I need my milk."
It went on this way for a good 20 minutes.
You wanted me to kiss your head. And then you screamed and twisted and contorted your body away when I leaned in to do so.
You wanted me to leave the room. And then you wailed and writhed and bonked your head against the wall when I opened to the door to go.
You wanted your stuffed animals. And then you didn't.
You wanted me to tell you a story. And then you didn't.
You wanted me to hold you — and then you punched me in the mouth when I did.
To say the very least, this was unusual behavior for you. Alas, you've thrown an occasional temper tantrum in the past. But nothing like this.
This was something new.
This was something frightening.
It is with great frequency and no small amount of pride that I tell those who ask about "the terrible twos" that you have given us no context with which we might understand that term.
And it is with great frequency — and no small amount of smugness, I think — that these people respond, "ah yes — it really should be called 'the terrible threes.'"
I smile politely and nod. But I don't believe it...
Or, at least, I didn't...
Not until this afternoon. Could this be the dreaded "threes?"
You're beginning to stir, now.
And I'm fighting a rather powerful urge to run for my life.
Love,
dad
4 comments:
I was in that position last year with my son. I think I made it out with most of my sanity intact, but I wasn't sure I would some days. LOL Good luck!
I read a really good article on tantrums the other day that talked about this behavior. I can find a link for you if you want it :) Mostly it says you just have to let them figure it out, but still a very insightful article. Let me know if you guys would want to read it.
And by the way, she is too darn cute...I don't really believe your story. hehe
Sigh. Sounds so familiar. I just made the comment on my own blog that whoever coined the term "terrible twos" clearly did so before their child had turned three. Michael also does the "I want it/I don't want it" tantrums and it is so baffling and frustrating.
At the very least, it's good birth control.
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