A toddler in the house

What used to take a couple of minutes now need a special time 'budget'

Bathing is the best or the worst, depending on how you look at it: I am sitting on the toilet seat. E is standing in front of me with his shirt half off, screeching at the top of his voice. But I am not allowed to help - it is his struggle and his alone. Next comes the shoes, those are much easier...he stands bend over, one hand on the bath, the other struggling with the heal of his boots. The same boots that he loves so much he now sleeps in them too. One boot, one sock. Other boot, other sock - both in the laundry basket. Followed by what I have termed the pants dance. He pulls them down till the body is out and then tapdances on the legs until he has freed himself. This procedure takes about 20 minutes of loud yelling, sometimes spiced with growls and less than savoury vocabulary. The nappy is easy peasy and then he climbs into the bath - to proceed with making 'bommies' in the water. Jumping as high as he can, folding his legs into a seated possie and landing on his butt - covering everything in a flood. I know - I am not strict at all and boy does it look like fun!!

Drinking milk is next - he has to hold both the milk bottle and his cup, and pour the milk himself. I stand on attention with mop, not allowed to even look like I am gonna touch or help. 'Noooo no helpy momma, no helpy!!'

I don't take him with me to the shops anymore because he wants to do everything for me - from selecting the food to unpacking and scanning it at the till... he even insists on getting the card out to pay.

He has to cut his own food - and if it is cut before hand, he will not eat it. Unless everybody at the table's food is looking the same way. He also has to get in and out of his highchair with no assistance.

We now wake up in the morning with him yelling and kicking his door - all dressed in jacket and boots with light in his room on, ready to go 'outside' - at 6:30 when it is just starting to get light and still freezing cold out.

I love it - I love him being so independant and strong willed. I laugh at him, I lock us in different rooms to protect him. I have smacked him - something I swore I would never do. I run and put my head under the pillow, desperately thankfull that Phil is there to take over.