Ah so this is the terrible twos they talked about...

It's come to my attention that the "terrible twos" are really only for girls.  Or at least that's been my experience.  When the boys were two, they were wild, they got into everything and destroyed a lot of stuff.  Really it isn't much different now that they're 5 & 7, they just talk more now.  Of course they had the occasional temper tantrum and Matthew was the master of screaming and angry fits of rage, (again, not much has changed) but for the most part they were very manageable two year olds.  The real terror began when they were three.  They knew their boundaries, knew what was wrong, weighed their options, and did the bad stuff anyway.

Since then we've been blessed with a beautiful little girl.  She just turned 2 on August 18th.  She is sweet and adorable, that is, until she doesn't get what she wants.  She doesn't talk a lot because her three older brothers talk for her.  She does have a few very clear words though, like stop, let go, move, and SHOES!  (Yes, totally my shoe obsessed child.  She wears at least 6 pairs a day, most of which do not belong to her.)  When she wants something, she takes it, and when you make her give it back she screams.  When she comes into the kitchen because she wants something, if you do not give it to her immediately she goes into a tiny impatient rage.  Yes she's even to the "throw yourself on the floor and scream til you can hardly breathe" stage, complete with kicking.  She is full of attitude and drama and she's only been 2 for a few weeks.  Despite this outrageous behavior she is still sweet and adorable, and she knows it too.  She's already mastered exploiting the cuteness.  She endlessly bats her eyelashes and even breaks out the pouty lip when necessary.  She and Conrad have the most adorable pouty lips ever.  Yes, I'm totally a sucker.  Ask me about it again in 10 years, I hope to be immune by then.

And so you see, NOW I know what they were talking about when they said "terrible twos."

*UPDATE*  It seems I've forgotten a few words she's mastered.  She just brought me a Spiderman Pez, stuffed it in my face and yelled "MINE."  I'm pretty sure she wanted me to open it so she could eat the candy.  I told her it doesn't belong to her and instead of flipping out, she contemplated this for a second and asked, "Why?"