Why Can't We All Just Get Along??

My daughter is 2...ah 2. When my princess first turned 2, I actually remember thinking, "Wow, this isn't that bad. What do people mean by 'terrible 2s?'" Those were the days. Now we are subjected to a bouquet of baffling behaviors. There is the Fresh Mouth - "No, Mommy, go away!"; Ms. Independent - "No, Mommy, I tie my shoe."; the Flip Flopper - "I want to play with the doll...NO!! I don't want her!"; and my personal favorite - the Weed Whacker. Her arms swirl in rapid, circular motions as she charges toward me yelling, "NO Mommy!" While her interesting anthology of coping strategies exhausts me, I fear it could be a glimpse of her at 13.

When I was 13, I could not figure out what mood I was in much less what mood I wanted to be in. I snapped at my parents daily, my mom getting the brunt of it. I just wanted to be left alone, and I wanted to be the center of attention, all at the same time. Those young adolescent years were terrible. Plenty of tears, secrets and silent treatments encapsulate my memories of the late 80s. Plus, I had to deal with my pin straight hair which would not tease up no matter how many hair picks I tried. That's enough to make a girl crazy!

Yet, my princess's rants are followed by many tender, breathtaking moments. Everyday she gives big hugs, produces contagious giggles, and cuddles into my lap. My favorite moment, though, is when she abruptly stops what she is doing, searches the room to find me, and shouts "I love you Mommy!" I have my doubts that will happen when she is 13.