Terribles twos

Nathaniel may be a little early to be a terrible 2, but he's definitely moving in the right direction. He's refusing to eat most of the healthy things he used to eat (vegetables are getting impossible), and he's taken to throwing his food more often. He outright defies us sometimes (throw a chunk of something; we raise our voices and say "NO THROWING," then remove whatever is in his hand for the next round. He picks up something else, waits while we stare and remind him "NO THROWING," then hurls it across the room. Admittedly, he may or may not fully understand what we're saying or how it connects to what he's doing ... but still.).

We went to the mall yesterday to check out some Labor Day clothing sales ... and Nathaniel was really a handful. We realized that if we can't take him to lunch at the mall, odds are we won't be going out to eat as a whole family anytime soon.

Next weekend, some family will be coming over for Nathaniel's aunt's birthday. The following weekend we'll be hanging out with a friend who just recently bought a home for an open house afternoon. Both should be quite a handful with this kid and his newfound energy, curiosity and part-time defiance. I think I need a vacation.