Getting on top of things

I've got to give it to the little guy - he is just amazing for being only 2. We have entered the infamous terrible twos, a time when children are trying to establish their independence, but still needing the security of mommy and daddy. Hormones are rampant as they go through growth spurts and learn huge amounts of new information daily. From a child's perspective, it's got to be pretty strange - sometimes mom and dad are all supportive of your latest discovery, for example when you point out a strange new bug you found and sometimes they just squash what you're trying to do, for example when you rub macaroni and cheese inside your shirt to see what it feels like on your chest.

I really wish that last part had been a hypothetical. Really I do.

But, in spite of the craziness of being two, coupled with the not inconsiderable stresses of a new little sister in the house, JJ is doing great. Do we have meltdowns? Of course. Does he refuse to eat anything that doesn't involve pasta some days? Yup. Do the words "no" and "self" figure prominently in his vocabulary? Absolutely. But, most importantly (to me at least), he has the ability to "get on top of it" if he needs to. No matter the meltdown, the tantrum, the pout...if I look him in the eye and say, "JJ, you need to get on top of this. Take a couple of deep breaths" he will do just that. And within minutes he'll be happy and back to doing something fun again. If it's a really bad one, I can hold him and say "It's ok, I've gotcha sweetie." and rock him and all will soon be right again. He worries about his sister when she cries and about his friends at daycare when they're upset. He loves his dog and his cats and tries very hard to help around the house. And he's so very very smart.

And best of all, when he wakes up in the morning, he throws his arms around me and whispers "I gotcha Mommy."