The True Two

Our wonderful two-year old girl is nearing the end of her second year. In a few months, she'll be three. The three-year old-ness is starting to emerge. She is speaking so well. She is taking on responsibilities. She has few potty accidents. She listens and obeys much better. And, she even checks up on us at times to see how we are doing or takes her dishes to the sink without asking. At first, I asked myself, "Is this my little girl?" But it has been happening so frequently that I've become attached to the little girl she is becoming. But then there are days like today that remind us of the true two-year old inside. It refuses to relinquish its grasp on my daughter. On those days, including today, our voices are drowned out by the voice inside that says, "Pretend you can't hear them. Do the opposite of what they say. This is fun isn't it?" Somehow the two-ness makes her especially clumsy. I think the two-year old inside is telling all of her body parts to go in different directions at the same time or at least convinces her she can do it. It has been a while since I've seen so many large bruises on my child's legs or had her come to me every few minutes because she bonked something else. Sometimes, like at dinner last night, the bonks are from trying the same stunt several times in a row with no success. That two-year old voice inside her sure is convincing. I can assure you it is not fun for me when she has the "true two" days. Our patience is fully worn by the end of the day. Time-outs increase in frequency, and our words increase in volume. Then, it ends. She is asleep in bed, a little gently beauty. And I wonder, "Was that tornado I saw earlier today my little girl?"