Need to vent: Toddler behavior

[texmama]

I guess God really doesn't give you more than you can handle. My new babe is Wonderful - the most laid back baby you can imagine, hardly ever cries, and then only when he needs something. Just a really, really sweet baby.

My 2.5 year old is another story. Now don't get me wrong, this girl is an amazing kid, and I love her more than I ever imagined I could, but WOW is she challenging lately! She is cutting all of her 2-year molars right now and has cut out naps - both of which put her in a lovely disposition.

She's for the first time being openly defiant and testing boundaries. Just yesterday she took off running down the block laughing as dh told her to stop - she was almost to the intersection by the time I got to her. She's also taking things she's not supposed to have and running away with them to hide them.

She has just started asking "Why" to EVERY single thing I say: "Look, there's a train" - why?... "Daddy's home" - why?.... "Let's listen to some music" - why? :

And, she's decided to pee and poop wherever she pleases - she was fully potty trained, and really still is, she just wants to see what will happen if she pees on the floor. If I put her in a diaper, she would just take her diaper off and go pee somewhere. (so we've resorting to bribery : ) My carpet has seen better days.

I know this is her way of coping with having a new baby in the house and additional stress/rules. Thankfully she LOVES her new baby brother, and is always trying to get him things, blankets, lovies, etc. It's very sweet. But dh and I are going batty with all of the other stuff.

[loomweaver]

Um...:

Do you live at my house?

[ladybugchild77]

maybe we could all get together and have play date with our charming toddlers...ha ha...I'll bring the one who says, "NO!" constantly and tries to pry her little sister of fmy breasts when she is nursing!: Seriously though - I love my girls so much but with a newbie and a 21 month old it can be.........challenging.....

[OMama]

Yup. We are dealing with most all of the above too. I feel like a newborn is sooooooo easy compared to a 2.5YO! About 80% of my time each day is taken up by her. DH reminded me that it used to be 100%, and that DD knows this. I waver between feeling so guilty I can't give her more attention and just feeling really frustrated with her behavior. I do VERY often try to give her direct attention -- talking to her, reading, playing with toys, watching her tv shows, taking her fun places, feeding her, cleaning her, etc. But it never seems enough. She also tries to push away DS's head when I'm nursing him, and she does other aggressive things to him. I can't turn my back for even a second. It is a hard time in that regard. The good news is that since he has arrived she has now fully potty trained. She announced that only little babies use diapers. She is even only wearing panties at night and wakes us up if she needs to go to the toilet. I just have my fingers cross that this will last!

[texmama]

Glad to know I'm not alone. It really does help to know that this is all typical. I was sad last night, mourning the loss of her pure happiness. I know that might seem extreme, but she seems to be so unhappy lately. I'm hoping it's just her teeth - it's not fair that she has to deal with the pain of teeth shifting while dealing with the huge transition of having a sibling.

There's a video of herself that she loves to watch, it's from 2 months ago - she was so goofy, and sweet, and funny in the video. I really miss that.