The Life of a Two Year Old

There's nothing like declaring a victory in one area of toddler-parenting to bring up several more areas that need work! Lest you think we don't have our share of two-year-old issues, yesterday was one of the most humbling...no, make that humiliating....experiences of my life. It was supposed to be a very simple trip to Hobby Lobby. I expected too much from him, I think, probably because historically he's always met my expectations when we're out in public running errands. Anyway, he did NOT deliver this time. I'm going to spare you all the details because frankly, living through it once was more than enough. Let's just say I was that mom saying, "Stop! Stop!" while her child ran from her all across the store. I feel like everyone in the store saw us - if not, they definitely heard us - and it's a big store! I have to return something to Hobby Lobby and I have not yet gained the courage to go back in there.

If you know me, you know that I don't usually get embarrassed by a misbehaving child in public....public tantrums happen, and I always feel like if I remain calm, it removes from them the ability to try to control the situation by making mom angry. So I refuse to get angry, and then usually Jonah will settle down really quickly when he realizes he can't get me upset. I stay firm but I don't let him get the upper hand in a situation like that - because he'll always scream louder and harder and, frankly, he'll win every time! But yesterday was a different kind of situation all together, one that I hadn't yet experienced. It wasn't a tantrum. It was just blatant rebellion. And he was having fun doing it! He wasn't acting crazy (and oh my, he was crazy) out of anger; it was totally out of a desire to have more fun. He was hyper and was laughing at himself the whole time. He thought it was one big party in there! So, that's a whole new one for me to try to figure out. I've already spent time in prayer about it this morning....but yesterday would have been a better time to do that.

So following that lovely experience, he spent some time at his grandparents' yesterday afternoon so I could go grocery shopping. I was not going to take him to another store and put him in a shopping cart again. Not yesterday. Not with the kind of morning we'd had. Papa T and Gigi saved the day and rescued this desperate mommy for a few hours. Thank goodness for them! Anyway, Jonah didn't discriminate with his behavior but gave them a good portion of his hellish behavior too, just so they wouldn't feel left out of the party. While my mom was on the phone, he got into her pantry and opened a huge container of the tiniest little sprinkles and dropped them all over the floor, making the biggest mess my mom's kitchen floor has ever seen. Yes, that's my boy. My TWO YEAR OLD boy. I seem to be reminded of his age quite a lot in the last couple of days. I'm also being reminded of my desperate need for dependence on the Lord alone for wisdom in shepherding my son's little heart.

But remember what I said about him being charming?

He just ran into the room and pointed to me and said, "I love you the most!"

Nooooooooo, Jonah. I love you the most.