Two.

Ohmygosh the tantrums.

Right in the morning. When I've just barely exited my morning hypnagogia (Dictionary.com word of the day holler!), and what I'm dreaming of is coffee, making breakfast with my sweet son, and maybe even being able to sit down and read or write for a few quiet minutes. But that has been a far-fetched reality lately it seems, as all of the following have a 50-50 chance of throwing Aeli into a serious fit:
 -Saying no
 -Changing his diaper
 -Running out of eggs/bananas/graham crackers

So this morning, it's "NO DIAPER! NO CHANGE DIPE! WHYYYYY???!! NO NO NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" and rolling over and kicking on the changing table. And me losing my motherly warmth and issuing time-out through clenched teeth. I still had to get the diaper on though, so wrestling ensued.

He does apologize, and usually comes back around. I don't know if it's molars or just the developmental difficulty of being two ("I recognize I am an individual. So why can't I have everything I want?"), but I will not allow it to permeate the year.

That said, I'm exhausted by it and sometimes feel like I just.can't.deal.with.it.any.more.

Thank god Nicole and Erin are around to step in. This is what Nicole said to me when I thanked her and apologized for leaving her with him screaming on the floor as I went to go shower:
-"It's cool, we'll just hang out here and have a tantrum."

Zen.

Fifteen minutes later he is playing in front of me with a tiger mask:
"Aeli so scary?!"
(Takes off mask)
"Aeli no scary anymore."
(Puts on mask)
"Aeli so scary!"
(Takes of mask)
"Ow 'bout now? Aeli no scary more!"

I absolutely love, and am mystified by, this creature.