Trouble with Two

I hate to admit it, but 'they' were right in labeling them the terrible twos. Chris and I agree that since turning two Eloise has traded her sweet, quiet, cuddly baby self for a sassy, stubborn, endlessly energetic little person. She constantly challenges us and it is exhausting. I continuously remind myself that I am the one in charge and I am the one who gets to make the rules but sometimes I just don't have the energy to fight her anymore. We take many of moments of reflection throughout the day - often at her suggestion - but I feel like I am always nagging Eloise to listen, not scream, use her words, stop hitting, please share, mind her manners and on and on. I don't want to be the naggy mom!

As her language skills develop I'd expect Eloise to become more adept in expressing herself but she usually just reverts to screaming whenever she doesn't get her way or god forbid, someone tries to take something away from her. With her friend Ruby she is especially challenging as the girls inevitably want the same thing at the same time which results in one or both of them screaming, though it's almost always Eloise.

I feel like turning two has made Eloise into a brat. She is high maintenance these days and in order for us to get her to do what we want all the parameters have to be just right, or her idea. Mealtimes are a constant battle as there are a very limited number of foods she will eat (pasta, oatmeal, apple/apple sauce, yogurt, chicken and eggs) and because she is still so slight I am not ready to pull the "well this is what we're having" card. Bedtime is no better and we've just come to realize that getting her down will be an hour long process and that we'll end up with Eloise padding into our room at 2am to get into bed anyway. I'm sure the right thing to do would be walking her back to her bed, but by that point I give up and at least she stays asleep (albeit sometimes violently) until the morning.

The trouble with two is that it keeps changing. Every week Eloise learns a little more, gets a little smarter and pushes a few more boundaries. I know she is just testing the water but the kid is making me crazy!