I feel like I've done enough posts in a row that I've qualified myself for a night off. This is counterbalanced by the fact that I have no new photos to post, so I'll compromise and half-ass it for the night.
Is 20 months too early for the whole "terrible two" phenomenon? I should back up and say that I hate any developmental generalization that uses both a number and alliteration; "troubling threes", "farcical fours", "apocrophyl eights", and so on. The phrase "terrible twos" - and the fact that I just used it twice - irks me.
My impression of this phase was that the kid in question - let's call her L. Gels - while certainly acting like a pill, would at the very least have some sort of tangential reason for being a pill. She isn't allowed outside. She has to wash her hands (this is actually a reward for L. Gels...she loves to wash). She is made to eat her vegetables. Things in that vein.
L. Gels, on the other hand, has been flying off the handle for no reason whatsoever. We're trying to walk a fine line between not giving her too much coddling and also scrambling like mad to snap her out of it. She will quiet down from time to time, but then she loses it again for absolutely no reason. I've watched her...there is no reason. One second: happy kid sitting there in front of me. Next second: bloody murder.
I'd rather there be a reason, so I could at least know what argument to take. She's crying because she wants to play with her shoes = fine, I make her ask nicely and then I give her the shoes. She wants to walk in the middle of the street = no way, and that's final. That has simplicity and definition. When she's this upset over nothing, I don't know if we should console her or not. Should we dance around like clowns to try and get her to cheer up?
I'm at a loss.
We are both under the impression that fatigue is playing a part. We've been inching back their bedtime, with zero complaints from both of them.
Lastly, I have to add this awesome piece of the internet I just found. I did a google search for "terrible twos", and came across a "terrible two countdown timer". Curious, I checked it out. This thing - hang onto your virtual hats - asked me for the subject's name (L. Gels) and birthdate (Feb 15th). After entering these seemingly meaningless pieces of information, it crunched around for a bit and told me this fact. I was astonished.
"Lily is 1 year 8 months old. You have 482 days - 5 hours - 2 minutes - and 54 seconds until your child is out of the terrible twos phase."
Oh my fricking god!!! The internet knows exactly when my kids will stop being crabby!!!! How is this not everyone's homepage!? Why is Oprah not trumpeting this from the top of the Sears Tower?
I'm still in shock. Even moreso because I figured out that this timer will reach 0 RIGHT AT HER THIRD BIRTHDAY. What? Are? The? Odds? Thank you, pediatrics.about.com. Expect a thank you call from me in 482 days.
Day two hundred and fifty six.
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