Terrible

One of the latest trials at our house goes by the name of Porter.
It wasn't that long ago that I was posting about the fun, cute, wonderful stage he was in.  Well, that stage has passed and we are now in the depths of the terrible twos.  I debated posting about this, but it is our life right now and this is just a stage and not who this little boy really is (at least I sure hope so!).

 

 

I am sure part of the terribleness has something to do with his position being replaced by the newest addition.  I wish I could say that was the only reason, but this behavior began before the baby arrived.  It has definitely amplified since Ryland's birth.  I am sure the fact that he has been getting his 2-year molars for the past few weeks hasn't helped either (just one more molar to go).

 

Porter has always been one who doesn't sit still for long, is very curious about everything, makes plenty of messes, and likes to test boundaries, but this is different.  He now has a purpose.  That purpose is to "Do whatever I can to deliberately cause the most irritation to ALL in my household."  He's also very defiant.  And the boundaries...he has gone far beyond testing the limits.

 

  He goes from one rotten or destructive thing to the next ALL DAY LONG.  I literally have to follow him around the house to keep the destruction to a minimum.  All things liquid, semi-liquid, paste or paste-like (lotion, hand sanitizer, desitin, toothpaste, etc.) are now unreachable so they don't end up all over the carpet or smeared in drawers.  Makes changing a diaper (when you need desitin) something you have to plan ahead to accomplish the task.  Anything with a button...watch out.  If the boys are watching a show, he will turn the TV off about every two minutes.  Drives the big boys crazy, which is why he does it.  There have been quite the tackles at our house as Luke or Caden try to stop him from getting close to the TV.  Printers, DVD players, cell phones, computers, remotes...they are all game too.

 

 

He is good at ripping books apart, destroying magazines, pulling every last baby wipe out of the package, pulling all the folded clothes out of his dresser, hanging on drapes, emptying tissue boxes, coloring on whatever surface he can (unless it's paper), licking all the spoons in the utensil drawer, taking the knobs off his dresser, dumping contents out of garbages, changing the time on the clocks, turning lights on and off, throwing toilet paper into the toilet, closing blinds, opening blinds, trying to knock over night stands, tangling my jewelry...

 

The list is endless.  I realize that each of these things, by themselves, are not that big of a deal.  Some of them could even be funny, but there is hardly a pause between one naughty thing to the next.  The biggest problem for me is how continuous it is.  Where does he get the energy! I am one tired girl to begin with (still need a baby to sleep better), but with this added issue, I am exhausted by the time Porter is tucked in bed for the night at 7pm. And believe me, bedtime can't come soon enough each night!

 

Then there is the hitting and throwing of hard objects.  Even Ryland is now fair game.  He too has to watch out for the head whacks and flying sippy cups.  Porter usually does it while I am holding Ryland, but even so, they are not left alone together.  I am learning to read which Porter is coming at me...the one who is going to hit Ryland or the one that is going to give him hugs and kisses.

 

 

Last week we had a particularly difficult day.  Porter pooped in his diaper, took it off, dumped the poop on the carpet, played in it with his hands, then proceeded to step in it, and then walked around the house with poop on his feet.  While I was texting David about this latest incident, he was in the bathroom emptying all the tubes of toothpaste into the sink (at least this time it was the sink!). Not two minutes later, I found him trying to cut his pants with scissors. (I know, I should have moved that particular pair of scissors long ago as I know that this kid can climb!). That was just 15 minutes of our day and this goes on and on and on.

Every day is a struggle with him right now.  It's been a long couple of months and I fear we are only at the beginning.  There are times when I get a glimpse of the Porter of old and it gives me hope. Hope that this too shall pass.

It will, right?