We went to a Trunk Or Treat party with Jeanna and her cute little lady bug. Our ward's trunk or treat party isn't until tomorrow and we've gone to Jeanna's the last couple of years, so decided it would be fun to do it again this year. We quickly pulled a couple of costumes together, Nolan a cowboy or sheriff (I'm not exactly sure and Annika some sort of Halloween princess). Nolan loved it! Annika's facial expression explains my life the last two weeks or so! She had fallen asleep on the way down and did not wake up happy. I think she was whining for the first half at least! I cannot believe the amount of stress a little girl can put you under. :P It has been a difficult couple of weeks. I remember Nolan going through a personality change around 3, so maybe that is what's happening with Annika, but it's certainly been a lot harder than it was with Nolan. I think I've heard more crying in the last two weeks than I have in the last two years! I've developed a twitch in my right eye and am finally getting over a cold from earlier in the week. It has driven me crazy! I'd like to blame it on her molars coming in! We'll see if things improve. Today, actually was our first OK day...not perfect, but OK! She has tested every little rule possible, every little EVERYTHING! It's amazing how smart a 2-year-old can be! When she knows she shouldn't be doing something, her new thing has been to take it in her room, or even outside, where I won't notice right away, and do it, even though I may have just got done telling her not to. !!!!!! Time outs are impossible! She does not stay in a time out chair, like Nolan did, she does not stay in her room, NO MATTER WHAT, finally, I've had to leave what I'm doing and lock myself in MY room until I'm ready to try again. Taking away priviliges doesn't work...it just gives her more reason to continue crying. Someone gave me the idea to turn the doorknobs around in her room during this phase, so she is contained in her room for even a couple of minutes to calm down...I think that is the next step. I don't believe spanking solves problems and really wouldn't teach her anything...but what I have been doing isn't working, so we will try switching the doorknobs this week. Hopefully, she'll be an angel again, and I won't even need to lock her in. I can't even explain why her crying fits even start, most of the time, for no reason at all, and it's about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! I start my day with the goal to not make her cry...it doesn't last long because she cries over the silliest things. And it goes on and on and on...And she follows me all over the house crying. :P You'd think I could catch a break at night, but she's been waking up at least 2 or 3 times to snuggle. It's been exhausting! This week, we have a fresh start! It will be better! I am dertermined! I'm glad this is happening now, to give me some time to figure her out all over again before the baby comes.
