What ever happened to the terrible two's?

When I first became a mommy 4 years ago, everyone warned me about the terrible two's. They said you will start seeing bits of it the closer he gets to two, and then once he hits two you will wonder where your nice little boy went!  :o) Well, I sort of had a cruel joke played on me.

As Nathan was coming up on two I was waiting for a glimmer of the "red eyes" to flash. Nothing. He turned two and I admit...it was a little bit trying, but all in all his two was a breeze. I'm thinking to myself, "Ok, cool, maybe my son won't experience the terrible two's and he can just be my sweet little boy and bypass that nasty stage altogether. Boy, am I a lucky mommy!" However, I was not prepared for what was in store for me next.

You want to know what happened? I'll tell ya..... HE TURNED 3!  Nathan went from my nice sweet little boy, to this incredible hulk like creature virtually overnight! The arguing started. He threw tantrums that he couldn't be talked out of. Screaming and arguing in public places started happening more frequently.  He started to throw things when he got angry, and listening to me was the last thing on his agenda!

The only thing worse than three is 4! The closer he got to 4, the more mouthy he became. Boy, let me tell you, back talking is in full force right now! He also has started asking someone else when he doesn't get the answer he likes. If we are at my mother-in-laws house (or anyone elses house for that matter), he'll ask me or Mike for something. We say no. He then goes to grandma, an uncle, or an aunt and proceeds to ask them for what he wants. They are none the wiser to what we had just told him, so they give him what he asked for since he asked THEM so sweetly. We have since informed them of this and they come ask us first... or say, "what did mommy and daddy say?" But the little stinker was getting away with it for quite some time.

The other day he asked me for a sucker. I told him that he could not have one because we just had cinnamon rolls for breakfast. How about he waits until after lunch? (if he eats a good one mind you!) He then looked at me and said, "No, but I want one now." Again, I calmly told him that if he is good, eats a good lunch, and doesn't bother me about the dang sucker again that he can get it after lunch. Nathan looked at me grabbed the sucker, and in the calmest voice possible says, "I think I'm going to have one!" I could feel the blood boil within me. Still keeping my composure, but raising my voice to a stern tone this time I said, "Absolutely not!" You want to know what he said to me after that? "Ok, well can I go ask daddy?"  Did he really just say that to me? I couldn't believe that he actually did. Looking back on it now though, at least he asked. LOL!

"No" is a popular word in his 4 year old vocabulary now. Talking back and mouthing off are his favorite pastimes at the moment. I always say that I bet 4 is just a tiny glimpse into what teenage years might be like. Anyone I've told this to says ,"oh no...this is NOTHING compared to what he'll be as a teenager. You'll only beg for him to be 4 again!" First of all, that scares the crap out of me to be quite honest. Second, I know teenage years are going to be hard to say the VERY least. But, I'm still thinking that the terrible three's and the furious fours are at least a touch of what's in store for me and my husband when our kids reach puberty.

Don't get me wrong, Nathan is still a great little boy. Very loving, and affectionate. He's helpful and polite. I love him and my daughter, Madeline more than life itself.  I just don't like this little "creature" he turns into when he doesn't get his way, or when he gets angry. It's like I can hear the quote of the incredible hulk in my head saying , "You won't like me when I'm angry."  Hopefully, my daughter will give me some time before she starts "changing colors". She is only 10 months now. Maybe, I have some time to enjoy her sweet little face and the fact that she still loves me and doesn't look at me like I'm the dirt beneath her feet yet.  LOL! It'll come though. When it does, I still don't think I'll quite be prepared.

I swear, some days when Nathan busts out with the "furious 4's" the only thing that saves him is the fact that he is so darn cute! I always tell him (so does my husband) when he gets in a mood... "You're lucky your so cute!" :o) And boy...he sure is! ♥

Have any mamas out there experienced the terrible two's? Or perhaps...thinking they may have bypassed them only then to experience the terrible three's and furious fours?