I'm that mom and lovin' it!

It's official... I am that mom.
You've seen her, perhaps you've been her, or are still her. Or, perhaps you have given her that look. You know... the one that says, "C'mon, you're the parent. Take charge of your child and get him quiet, for crying out loud!"

Sound familiar? Welcome to my life... life with an almost two-year old. Yes, that's right. The same sweet, inherently kind and affectionate boy with the big, innocent blue eyes that you see all over this blog has ANOTHER side to him... and it can be terrible! And, I am happy to report... TYPICAL! :-)

WHEN I KNEW I WAS IN FOR IT:
Location: Our neighborhood Target
(If there are any terrible-two outings in your future, consider NOT shopping at your local stores! HA!)
The scene: Quickly loading the double stroller with the items on my list.
(I can pack a mean stroller these days! Who needs a cart?!)
It was a short list - - short enough that I had foolishly hoped I could browse around for a few minutes. Silly me.

I was loading the last item into the stroller when I suddenly heard a loud, LONG scream. "Wow," I thought, "that kid has lungs like Preston. That is Preston. Lovely."

I explained that we were almost done. He didn't care. The screaming continued as I proceeded to the checkout line which was unacceptably long. He did not want his sippy cup, he wasn't impressed with the smorgasbord of snacks I was offering and he had twisted himself in the stroller so that it looked like I had no clue how to strap him in.
I felt the heat rising in my body as the internal dialogue continued, "Where did my compliant boy go? Should I just dump all this stuff and leave? That sure would be easier if this were a cart and not a stroller. I could ditch a cart, can't ditch the stroller..." although at the moment, it was tempting! "Clearly I won't be making second stop," I told myself. Then I felt her eyes... the elderly woman whom, I am guessing, never had kids herself. She looked at me with such disdain - - lips pursed and a "kids are meant to be seen and not heard" scowl plastered across her disapproving face. Again I tried to quiet him. Again I failed. I decided that I needed the items in my stroller and I would just wait it out. Thankfully, Preston's whining quieted a bit and he just fussed while we waited and then paid. I exhaled. That was my next mistake!

When we got to the parking lot, I put the bags in the car and then told Preston it was time for him to get in. He told me, "No." Miss Gracie sat calmly and smiled at whatever was making her smile. :-) I let him know (again) that he doesn't tell Mommy "no" when she tells him to do something. I got him out of the stroller, picked him up and as I walked toward his side of the car, he let out the most amazing scream. (Have the need for voice over work? He's your guy!)
He practically leapt out of my arms as I tried to get him in the car. A woman parked next to us, went into the store and came back out and I was still in the same toddler predicament. She didn't make eye contact or offer any sympathy. For a moment, I envied her childless shopping outing and the car that surely had no crushed goldfish on the floor.

It was barely 50 degrees outside and I literally had sweat dripping off my forehead. I had wrestled with him and tried to "fold" him into his carseat without a victory. I wondered exactly how much force would be too much to get him strapped in. More than that, though, I realized I was so hot, I couldn't think, and despite the cold air, I took off my sweatshirt. "That's better," I thought, as though removing a layer would somehow change his behavior. We wrestled more and I continued to lose. I wondered if all 19 month old boys were this freakishly strong.

And then, in between the screams of my son, I heard the voice... the parking lot angel who shouted across the aisle, "Mama, I so feel your pain!" I turned around to see another mom unloading her two kids from her car. She continued, "I have been there, I feel your pain!" At that moment, I wanted to run across the parking lot and hug her! I didn't, of course, but I wanted to. I needed that show of support.

Preston continued to scream, "Nooooo!" about getting in the car, until he saw her son... then he waved, said "Hi!" and pointed to the moon while signing and saying, "Moon!" (Pronounced 'muwn' in case you wondered!) We both laughed and she commented, "Oh, you have a charmer, huh?!" She knew and she could still laugh about it.

It was at that moment in the parking lot that I realized this is just one more "typical" stage of development that I'd yet to experience as a parent. I was completely frustrated, don't get me wrong, but I also felt a sense of peace in the realization that, this is the kind of stuff I actually "want" him to be able to do. This is typical and normal. This is good stuff and I am lovin' it.

******************************************************************************
(Don't worry, Miss Gracie was fine! She happily hung out in the stroller with her tube feeding running and was blissfully unaware that her brother was causing such a fuss! And, since a car ride or stroller ride are the only ways to feed her on the pump when she's awake, Preston actually helped extend her mealtime!)