I know this post should be about all the wonders and magic Christmas was with a 2 year old. I should share smiling pictures like this...yes, she is wearing her 12 month pajamas she wore last year and they fit perfectly.
I could also tell you about sledding on Christmas Eve and the joy in her laughter across the snow banks
...but it would mainly be lies. The main facial expression looked like this:
(By the way the retro knit hat from her great grandmother looks a lot cuter when she smiles)For the past few months, I've said "oh, 2 years old isn't so terrible. I love how excited and animated she gets over the littlest thing" That's very true, but the same amount of emotion is put into the tantrums. Here are the conclusions I came too this morning after dealing with tantrums Monday evening and 2 hours of tantrums in the middle of the night!
1. I am a huge wimp! If all women were like me, the world would be a lot less populated. The thought of going through this multiple times boggles my mind. I'm trying so hard not to give into the whining, crying, stamping etc, because then it is just worse the next time she wants something, but boy, it is tough! Is she harder than other toddlers? Probably not. But when she is screaming on the floor in Target, and I handle it wrong my mind races to the future. "I gave her the sticker book to stop her from screaming. This is probably the gateway to gangs, piercings, and bad grades." That was the first thing I said to Chris when we get home. My worrying gene is in overdrive with every decision I make.
2. Working moms should just deal with it. I feel extra wimpy because I'm a working mom. It's sad when I add up the number of hours I'm with her during the week. If you count the hours she is awake, it is maybe 3 hours a day on the weekdays and that is including the time when I'm getting ready in the morning while she is eating oatmeal and watching PBS. All of you out there staying home with your toddler full time, I'm in awe. I went online today to find Toddler Parenting classes through the Early Childhood Education program here in Mpls. They have quite a few classes, but only on weekday mornings so not possible for working moms. Guess I'll be going back to the library to read up on more toddler books. Any suggestions?!
3.Karma sucks. I'm stubborn and as a kid I could have been employed as a professional whiner. Just ask my parents. There were instances where I caused both of them to get in the car and drive away rather than deal with me. As Chris pointed out, if I'm in a bad mood then everyone else around me better be grumpy. No sunshine-y outlook if I'm pouting, thank you very much! Penelope seems to have adopted this as well. Do you know that poem about the girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead, when she was good she was very good, and when she was bad, she was very bad? That was written about me and Penelope.
4.This too shall pass. I know we'll get through this. I hate the feeling of dread to go pick her up at daycare. How terrible is that? I work all day to fund research for children's cancer, and then I go home just hoping we can make it through without a meltdown in the 2 hours before bedtime. We actually did have a meltdown free tonight with a lot of concentrated effort by Chris and I to entertain her and keep her occupied the entire time.
4.This too shall pass. I know we'll get through this. I hate the feeling of dread to go pick her up at daycare. How terrible is that? I work all day to fund research for children's cancer, and then I go home just hoping we can make it through without a meltdown in the 2 hours before bedtime. We actually did have a meltdown free tonight with a lot of concentrated effort by Chris and I to entertain her and keep her occupied the entire time. 5. The rest of the world thinks I make this up. According to the teachers at daycare she is pretty easygoing there, and they can easily redirect her. She definitely is not one of the big tantrum throwers so they are surprised when I ask them about it. (once again, wimpy mom...how do the moms with the big tantrum throwers do it?!) So I'll leave you with a picture of the way everyone else sees Penelope:
She LOVES this hat. I only let her wear it on warmer days...you know, over 20 degrees. Anything below that, and I juggle the options of frostbite or tantrum about the hat.
She LOVES this hat. I only let her wear it on warmer days...you know, over 20 degrees. Anything below that, and I juggle the options of frostbite or tantrum about the hat. (Thank you for dealing with my complaining. The amount of sleep I get is directly correlated with the shade of my rose colored glasses. After last night, there is no tint left in them)
5 comments:
You're not complaining at all! That must be tough to work and come home to a little one going throught the terrible two's. A friend of mine has a daughter (now almost four) who was the epitome of the nursery rhyme: she had the curl, was very, very good most of the time, but when she was bad... she was very stubborn and hard to handle. Happy ending= she snapped out of it a month after turning three. Guess they call it terrible TWO's for a reason??
Anyway, sending out positive thoughts and a cyber/metaphorical glass of wine!
throught= through
Sorry, was typing too fast
Ha well if it makes you feel better, you're not alone. Yesterday Collin had a tantrum so bad that his body literally shook while be screamed - he was screaming so hard. I guess the thing that gets me through it is that I laugh. I mean seriously....I think it's hilarious that he thinks some things are such big deals (and because he is seriously like a mini me)! (of course I don't laugh at him....only internally....or out in the hall where he can't see me). anyway, I just read the other day that toddlers totally give their main caregivers (you) the hardest time. So true. My dad just looks at Collin and he stops pouting. I asked my dad if he'd like to move in with us so he could do that all the time for me.
Anyway all in all, and with all seriousness, I just let Collin have his meltdown and know that in two minutes he'll be fine. And I let him know that yes, we all get frustrated which is ok, it's how we handle it that matters. Of course I have no idea if he understands me, but I figure he will eventually. You're doing a great job Laura, don't worry!
Oh and I totally agree with your friend above....I actually think you have it harder being a working mom. You have a long day at work and then you have to pick up Penelope during the "witching hour" (the few hours in the evening when Toddlers are tired and cranky and done with the day). I think it's easier just because since I see Collin all day I see that the tantrums really don't happen that often in comparison with the rest of the day. Most of the time he's sweet or gets over things quickly. But he does have his biggest meltdowns in the evening and that's right when you get home. So no, I think you should consider yourself superwoman!
So, I know I'm way late leaving this comment, but you know, I've only recently figured out the reader thing :)
Anyway, I just had to tell you that I completely understand. Right around the time Molly turned 3, she was awful. Just crying, whining, pouting; it was horrible. Neither Cory nor I liked to really be around her. Then, you saw our nights when we forgot the paci in VA, and therefore gave it up. Those were awful times. But, just in the last month or so, Cory and I looked at each other and realized that our sweet Molly had returned. She's clearly not perfect, but it is so much better. So, if Penelope was going through that at 2.5, then she is just far more advanced than Molly :)
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