By Cheryl McBride
My beautiful grandson Taeves is two years and five months old. I had a heart-to-heart with him the other day.
“You know Gramma, it’s kind of difficult being a two year old. I’m trying really hard. Things are changing. A lot. And fast.
Gramma, from as far back as I can remember, everyone made such a big deal about diapers, and then all of a sudden I am supposed to use the ‘potty’? I like diapers. It’s a big change for me. Everyone keeps asking me if I have to ‘go potty’! ‘Potties’ are weird. I am getting used to my big boy undy-wears, but I still like diapers . . . a lot. Actually, I almost have the ‘potty’ thing aced but I’m hanging on to the diapers for a little longer just because I can.
And that highchair. Everyone thought it was so cute when I sat at the table on a chair by myself and said “eat food”. But try to do that in a restaurant and I get strapped down tight in a highchair. The view is good but it cramps my style.
What about those water glasses over there? Or the evergreen swags with lights draping over the banisters? I could play with those – if I wasn’t in a HIGHCHAIR. How much colouring can a two-year do?
I am quite athletic. I have a LOT of energy. Those 2+ hour morning walks I take everyday with Mama and Tovan are great, but then what am supposed to do? “No nap” has become a large part of my vocabulary. Mama doesn’t listen to me. Neither does Dada or you Gramma. When I say “no nap”, I mean I do not want to take a nap. How simple is that? But you don’t listen. It can take a long time to get me napping when I don’t want to nap. I get so tired I fall asleep.
And what about Tovan? Rather a big change – right Gramma? Out of nowhere. Parachuting right into the middle of our family, a ‘brother’. I must admit I didn’t quite understand the concept before he arrived, but I sure am starting to get it now. Things have changed. A lot. Mama spends so much time nursing Tovan! Don’t forget Gramma, that was my ‘milk’ and I used to go into sated ‘milk comas’. But now? Tovan is at the fountain. My fountain. It is all very different. And apparently out of my control.
So sometimes Gramma, I just feel like crying. I just have to sit on the floor and cry. I am not always sure why I am crying, but things just overwhelm me and I cry. Sometimes I kind of get over my crying but just continue to ‘fake cry’ because I can. Like the other day when Mama was driving Tovan and I home and we were both crying like crazy, but every time we passed a Stop Sign I stopped crying long enough to tell Mama there was a Stop Sign. Then I started crying again. It is all very difficult. But I am trying really hard.”
I gave Taeves a big hug and told him “this too will pass.”
Author Cheryl McBride – My grandson is, what some people call, a “terrible two”, but really he is a healthy boy testing his limits and adjusting to a little brother.