Terrible Twos is Right!

Since she turned two, it is like Victoria has had a "tantrum switch" turned on. She has been having frequent, tantrum-y outbursts. Last week when visiting my mother, we were in Jo-Ann's Crafts buying fall wreaths. I let her walk in the store, but she wouldn't listen, running crazy all around the store, and lying on the ground if you attempted to corral her. She received several warnings, which resulted in her being put in the large portion of the cart. She screamed and cried and bawled for over 5 minutes. Surprisingly, it didn't bother me, but it upset my mother. She finally stopped when I she realized she wouldn't get her way.

The other night at dinner, she kept throwing everything she didn't like off her plate. I warned her twice, then she got her chair pushed into the corner for a time out. More screaming and crying.

I went to a house warming party last weekend. She was overtired and crying and I tried to take her home. She laid on the floor and went so limp, I couldn't pick her up. She did the same thing when I tried to put her in the carseat, etc. I was so physically tired after wrestling with her.

Last night was the worst. She was already tired, having skipped a nap at school (another thing - why is she doing this?). P got home late and was eating dinner at 7:00 pm. I made him a waffle, omelette, turkey sausages and mushrooms. I don't like Vi around eggs, since she is allergic. When he comes home, she always wants to sit in his lap and "help" him eat his dinner. I had her clothes off and was taking her upstairs for a bath. She loves turkey sausages, so she ate most of his. She really, really needed a bath and I knew there was going to be trouble. I plucked her from his lap and she fought me. Halfway up the stairs, that silent scream came out, you know, the one with the pause while the person works up breath to get the giant one out? That came out. I corralled her in the bathroom mad and bawling. She wouldn't sit in the water. I gave her bath toys and she threw them at me. So I washed her standing up and bawling. At one point I started to sing the "Super Why" song - her latest obsession. She then hit me in the face. You read that correctly. She hit me in the face. This is the second time she's done this. I was so angry. I grabbed her face and made her look at me and informed her that this was awful behavior and she wasn't going to do it again. I then brought her downstairs where she stopped crying.

It seems like she has a great deal of anger when she receives punishment. Is this normal? It seems like I am living with two little girls - one sweet, charming, and snugly, and other, a crying, bratty terror.