It's Tough Being Two

I just laid down Ben for the night. *Whew*. We have a ritual of brushing teeth, reading a book and then going upstairs to his room to sing songs. I really like the song time. Most of the time we sing Thomas the Tank Engine songs. I know all the words to most of the songs. We sing about three. He makes his requests and I lead the singing. He used to just listen. Now he is singing along with me and their is nothing more precious. I love the way he says each word in his own pronunciation. For example, "Thomas we love you..." from him sounds like, "Thomas welauyou".

Just 1 1/2 hours earlier we were trying to eat dinner (he wasn't hungry) and he was crying at my feet, "Mommy, Mommy, hold you, hold you!!!". The rest of the family tried to hold a conversation a couple of levels above his screams but it was very difficult. It was a crazy time. But moments ago he was the sweetest, most precious child.

I know he can be really difficult sometimes and high maintenance...but I know, and I really believe this deep down, he's going to grow into a very charming person. I see glimpses of it now when he says, "Thank you, Mommy", really sweetly, and "I lauyou too, Mommy". I see it when he comes rushing to me when I walk in the door after being out. I make him the happiest person in the world whenever I return home. I see it when he plays with Sam and Abby, running around the house, laughing. I see it when he sits down with Mary and shares the box of goldfish saying, "Here you go, Mary". Now, if I could only blot out the other visions like the one of him bodyslamming Mary to the floor, he'd be the perfect child. But that's Ben. He's extremes. High or low, laughing or crying, independent or needy. It's tough being two.