tantrums

It's possible we've entered the tantrum phase.

After eating chinese the other night, we walked out onto the sidewalk together as dad finished paying the bill. The kid loves being able to walk himself around and not just be carried or pushed in his stroller. But it wasn't 'stroll through the strip mall' time, it was 'go home' time.

Dad exits, and we start to head toward the car. The kid does not want to go in the car. He wants to run up and down the concrete sidewalk.

Dad reaches for kids hand. Kid yanks hand away, dashes off to the right, and dodges dad's reach. dodges dad to the left. finally as dad gets a good grip, he flattens his body onto the sidewalk, stiff as a board.

Mom is on the cell phone, watching as this 'fit' (is this a fit) takes place, wondering to self, 'is this a tantrum? a fit?' hmm.

Dad pulls him off the ground as the kids body is limp, no help whatsoever. Puts him into the car seat with more protests, no crying but more grunts and fighting to get away. back to the darn sidewalk.

He stiffens his body, lunging his chest out, preventing dad from being able to strap him in. tries to throw himself off to the side, lunging out of the car. dad finally manages to strap him down.

And he was angry about half the ride home. We write this off as a fluke. He was tired.

Next night. Time to brush the teeth. He loves to brush the teeth. I call to him, "lets brush your teeth!!" and he pulls out another puzzle.

He senses its that time, ya know. where he has to go to bed. He ignores me.

"Abram, lets brush your teeth! Come on!" He looks and goes back to his puzzle.

I finally led him into the bathroom, sitting him on his stool. He's mad and decides HE will brush his teeth. Not ME. HIM.

I try to brush them. He attempts to yank the brush away from me, but i win.

"No, I brush. you sit."

Second yanking attempt while he starts crying. He loses. Third yank attempt as he's screaming. He loses.

"Okay, I brush first. Then your turn," I explain as he's thrashing off the stool, turning his head back and forth, and screaming, still wanting to either get the tooth brush or get away!

More tears. More wrestling. More screams.

After I think i managed to somewhat brush them, I let him have his turn. he shoves it into his mouth, chewing on the brush and giving me a look... I let him 'brush' for a moment, then announced "All Done!" and put the toothbrush away, as I always do.

More screams, tears, and yanking at the drawer. I say, "All done, Lets go watch Diego!" and lead him out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind us.

He pounds his feet in place as fast and hard as he can, gets all red faced and was wailing, throwing himself into the wall!!!

I look at husband. He looks back.

"What is going on here?" I asked.

"I think he's having a tantrum?" husband questions.

"I think you're right..... "

My first sentence might have been misleading. It's not just possible we've entered the tantrum phase, I think its official.