The Terrible Twos...

I'm a proud grandparent. Mine are the best and I post their photos to social media. When I encounter my friends and I'm accompanied by the grandkids they have already seen the photos and say, "they are as cute as the pictures." I say, "thanks, if I don't shave them they look just like me." I think that's a funny line. What's not so funny is that Milo, who looks and acts like so much they call him Brown Carl is in the grip of the terrible twos. 

You may have experienced the terrible twos with your own children and surely had them yourself. It's when you don't get what you want or due to the fact that your communication skills have not expanded enough to keep up with your understanding of how the world works the frustration at all this makes you lose complete control of your emotions.  

We kept Ezra, Luca and Milo this weekend while the parents were off on a trip. The kids were good. They helped with yard chores. We attended Honor America Night and they were good. We saw the Dino Light Show at Temple Theater and they were good. We went to church and they were good. 

But if Milo is denied a "T-Tia" (tortilla), Pinky Panther on TV or if he has just eaten 4 Mandarin oranges (he can peel them) and you refuse him the 5th one he has a meltdown. 

One night at bedtime he lost complete control because he was denied an apple (a tactic to stay up longer) and splayed himself across the floor howling in such existential pain that his brothers felt it and cried too.  

When he does this I just stand there and look. After all it's his pain not mine and while not as cute as some of the photos there is a certain charm and style to these performances. The terrible twos will pass. He won't remember it and I won't either.