<p>Just when you think you have it all under control, life goes ahead and trows you a curve ball.&#0160; (Don&#39;t you just hate it when that happens?)</p>



<p>My son, who up until now has been more or less a model baby (if I do say so myself), has suddenly morphed into this irrational, demanding, stubborn and overtly emotional creature.&#0160; I believe the fancy term used by parenting experts for his condition is &quot;toddlerhood.&quot;</p>



<p>Urgh.</p>

<p>Seemingly overnight I have become &quot;that&quot; mother - the one with the kid with the shriek that won&#39;t quit.&#0160; Where people used to stop me on the street and compliment me on my child&#39;s impeccable behavior (&quot;He&#39;s such an angel!&quot;) and I lapped up the praise as if his temperament was in any way a result of my skills, they now pointedly ignore me as my kid toddles in circles, alternatively giggling and crying like a manic depressive.&#0160;

</p>

<p>Mealtimes used to be lovely bonding times and now have morphed into torture sessions.&#0160; For me.&#0160; The battle of wills is not pretty.&#0160; He will scream and push food away one second, then gobble up the scraps that happen to accidentally fall into the pocket on his bib when he thinks I&#39;m not looking.</p>

<p>By early afternoon, I&#39;m completely exhausted - merely a shell of myself.&#0160; I hate to hear myself say this because I wanted to be the mom that always had her shit together.&#0160; I can hardly hear his screams anymore, and while I full well know that the other people out there on planet earth are not as used to it as I am, somedays I don&#39;t care.&#0160; I just let him scream at somebody else for a change.&#0160; </p>

<p>I tell myself that this stage will pass.&#0160; It&#39;s the only thing that keeps me going.&#0160; </p>

<p>It will pass.&#0160; </p>

<p>Right?</p>
