Our mild mannered baby has disappeared. He’s been replaced with a two-year-old who makes his displeasure known at loud volumes, and sometimes with violent gestures. Today the next-to-last struggle was brushing teeth. “No, mommy, no!” he shouted. I picked him up and he made himself limp in the hopes he could slip out of my hands.
After a few moments he agreed to stand up. I got the toothbrush in his mouth and started brushing. Then, as we were finishing up, he said, “Thank you, mommy” just as sweet as could be.