Oh, 2 year olds

Just a typical morning with a 2 year old: when it was time to leave to take the big kids to school, he threw a fit because he was enjoying playing with Lego Duplos. So I carried him out against his fullest strength to the car and buckled him in. We got the kids dropped off as he shouted CD choices throughout the ride ("Wiggles! Between the Lions! Finn McMissile!!").

He and I headed to Target to look at some things. I noticed that he is doing SO much better on shopping errands. I had gotten to the point that I stopped trying because he would kick and scream and fight to get down out of the cart the whole time (those buckles? cannot hold him). And heaven forbid if you tried to let him down - you're in for a wild goose chase through Target. It was awful.

But...he has finally learned - IF you want to walk, you stand right next to the cart and don't run away from Mommy. And if you do...back in the cart. So we strolled around Target for quite some time...Luke walking closely to the cart and being down right pleasant. Then I asked if he'd like to ride in the cart and have a snack, and he he sat in the cart peacefully for another stretch of time, all the way to the car.

Just as I was pondering how much better he's been doing, we arrived home from picking up David from preschool. Luke decided he wanted to stay in the car and play with the CD player, so once again I carried him inside kicking and screaming. David pinched his finger and we had about 10 minutes of dual-screaming contest. Luke didn't want to sit down to eat lunch, but I buckled him in anyway. Then he cried that I had cut his grilled cheese. I guess he wanted it whole.

Then he took a good nap and he and David built a train track and played peacefully together. These moments bring us through the others.