Too Much Toddler

I am completely dreading the thought of another full day with Lowell. His behavior is so, ahem, challenging right now that I just started crying at the mere thought of planning for the day tomorrow. (Not that this is so out of the ordinary right now. The hormones are making me cry when faced with ordinary hurdles like dishes or vacuuming, let alone a child who shows how much he trusts me by biting me hard enough to leave a welt through two layers of clothing.) I know that everything that he is doing right now is normal. And that this is a phase that will pass. But knowing this really does not help me at times like this afternoon when he turned on his playmate and hit her repeatedly in the face. I just don't have the wherewithal to summon that kind of perspective when I really need it. The majority of the time Lowell is sweet and fun and challenging in the usual toddler way. But the hitting and biting thing has me feeling totally overwhelmed. Nothing I do or say seems to make any real impact which is hard because before now I think I thought that I was pretty good at the whole discipline thing. He has been for the most part pretty mellow and responsive and I have only occasionally been pushed to the point where I was raising my voice. Let's just say I have been to that point repeatedly over the last couple weeks. It makes me feel awful when I realize I just yelled at a 2-year old about an impulse control issue. I'm glad he hasn't developed a sense of irony yet.

I know that I just have to ride this out but it is really hard. Playdates are becoming stressful. Taking him places is getting problematic because I have very little energy to deal with meltdowns outside of a controlled environment. Although I am only about halfway through this pregnancy I am already starting to have some difficuties just physically handling him. Pretty soon I won't be able to just pick him up when he goes boneless in the middle of a crosswalk. On top of this he is having a growth spurt and eating, seriously, every half hour. Since he has suddenly decided that he doesn't like most of his usual standbys I am running out of snack ideas by about 10:30. This is stressing me out almost as much as the tantrums, because the whining, OH THE WHINING. I have been resorting to foods that would have had my past self (like my two-weeks ago self) clucking with disapproval just to stop the wails of "I"M HUNGRY MOM, I'M HUN-GAR-EEE."

I hope tomorrow is easier. We will be finding out the sex of the baby tomorrow afternoon at my ultrasound appointment so hopefully it will at least go quickly. I am pretty much on the edge of my seat. I will not be surprised if it's another boy because this pregancy has been almost a carbon copy of the last one. If it's a girl I will get over my utter shock by driving straight to Target to start shopping.

Comments

[Nicolle]

Yike! It sounds like you have your hands full over there. I feel your pain and hopefully he will zip right through this phase and pass on to one where rubbing mommy's feet is more exciting than hitting. I'd loan you julia, if we were but a couple miles closer: at five she is quite the masseur (although, it's typically, rub, rub, rub, can i have my candy now?).

Happy ultrasounding!

[supa]

Boy, for your sake I hope this passes soon. (I can only tolerate toddlerhood because Owen is causing someone else pain and havoc for 6 hours a day while I'm at work.) As far as the violence -- we have had some success with the timeout. Which is good, because that's pretty much the only thing in my arsenal.

Also. Halfway through? Already? Oh my gracious. And if my math is right then you will be at that appointment, like, soon to now.

Hope today was an easier day for you.

[LetterB]

Pretty soon! Getting excited. And today has been easier, thank god.

[braine]

Is it looking on the bright side to say that in a year or so he'll at least have someone else to bite? That's what our 4-y-o did a week or so ago to his 9-m-o sister. He wasn't allowed in her room or in front of the TV until the bruise went away. Not that that helps you with a younger one.

We found it went in waves...every time we thought we were absolutely, positively at the lowest possible ebb of energy or tolerance for the toddler bullsh*t, our sweet boy would return. The good thing? You learn that you have more reserves of tolerance and energy than you thought. The bad thing? You start to suspect that he's schizo.

Good luck, and hey -- boy or girl? Telling?

[HoorayForSaturady]

Now dear,
Let me try to make things a little better for you.
Close your eyes, imagine yourself in a wonderful playgroup where the kids are dressed in white, drinking a chocolate fountain and not getting a drop on their clothes, and look...over there...it's a lovely rainbow vibrant in the sky and oh...over there, a unicorn that is letting the kids pet it and take turns riding on it.
Now see that sweaty fat guy in the corner with the barely two year old son flopping around on the floor in a tantrum while his about to be four year old daughter is whining, "Is momma coming home today?" over and over and over. All the while the moms are looking at him like he has no clue what he is doing?
Hello, nice to meet you.
Maybe it's the season?
Hope things get better real soon.