Big Emotion

In my mind I had been thinking that maybe we'd be saved from the brunt of terrible two-ness only because Samantha is very verbal and does not have many times of frustration from not being understood. I was thinking oh, we'll sail right through this because she can understand us, and we can understand her. At the time of this thought I obviously was wearing blinders because everything I ever learned in school or in real life practice would tell me that I was in for a rude awakening.

I read an article yesterday about 2 year olds that talked about the "terrible twos" as being not so much about terrible behavior but more about big emotion. I feel this is definitely the case with Samantha. A week before her 2 year birthday she started displaying some very big emotion that is sometimes accompanied by some not so stellar behavior like hitting and whining, but most of all it seems as though she is so distraught over these big feelings that she just doesn't know what to do with herself. The time of day when the terrible twos have been rearing their ugly head is right after nap time.

Yesterday she was just so beside herself that even the offering of a snack, milk or tv show was met with a sobbing "no". After some time she was able to say that she wanted milk, but when I got her cup from the refrigerator and handed it to her she backhanded it onto the floor saying "noooo" (add a little feet stomping as well). I said something to the effect that she had asked for the milk, but if she really doesn't want it she doesn't have to have it. I went to put it back in the fridge only to have her throw her head back stomp those feet, swing those arms, and whine "miiiiiiilllllk", to which I said "do you want your milk or do you not want it?" She sheepishly nodded her head yes and grabbed for her milk so quickly as if it was a life and death situation.

We are only one week into being 2 and I have a feeling I am going to get awfully sick of hearing myself say "use your words!"