No...No...NO!

The "terrible twos" seem to have hit our house lately.  Gabe has always been very independent & opinionated about certain things, but he has been pushing the limits more & more lately.  The nice way to put it is "strong-willed" but it is just frustrating for all.  Especially when he ends up doing what I want him to in the end.  He just has to decide that is what he wants too.

He has perfected his frown face & sometimes it feels like his first reaction is to say no while shaking his head at me.  Our biggest battle right now is eating....in his highchair with his bib on.  He wants to have cookies or chocolate instead of the food on his plate.  We have been making it through, sticking fast to the rules of no sweets until your plate is clean & not sitting on laps to eat.  But, there have been several nights where he goes to bed with just a few bites at dinner because he just doesn't want to eat (& the food is not an issue because he will eat it other times).  The good thing is that he doesn't seem to have too many problems at the sitter.  I think it helps that there are older kids there that are also sitting & eating, setting good examples.

Not that every day is terrible.  He is definitely a little goofball, making us laugh & smile all the time.  The other day he was riding his bike (a ride & push toy) inside the garage when I told him to be careful & not fall off.  He looked at me, pretended to fall off & said "Ow".  I just had to laugh & told him he didn't fool me.  I can see his imagination starting to bloom as he tells me random things.  His memory still amazes me.  He knows how certain books end after only a couple of reads or where he left something several days ago.  He has a recent fascination with Nemo & carries his little stuffed animal around the house.  (He still loves Curious George too.)  He has an obsession with chap stick & wants to put some on whenever he sees it.  He would prefer to put it on himself although it almost always ends up on his cheek instead of his lips.  His vocabulary is expanding exponentially & he now says things like "I cry" & "I want hold you".   He will come up to us, grab our hands & drag us to where he wants us to be.

He definitely keeps us on our toes & likes to get into everything.  He has been found getting into many of our drawers & climbing onto things & just generally being Gabe.

Trying to reach the light switches....onto the toilet, onto the counter, into the sink & SUCCESS!!

Came into the living room to find him inside this box just hanging out.

Apparently basketball is better from the couch.

 

Even better with your head in the net.

 

Wearing Mommy's shoes around the house.