Has Anyone Seem My 2yr Old and my Sanity?!?!

Phrases for the week: What is wrong with you? No, you can't do that! Get up off the floor and quit screaming! Alright, go to time-out! That's it give me that toy I'm taking it away!
Just to name a few. Seems as though over the past few weeks our sweet and innocent two year old, Ms. Autumn Marie has been abducted and replaced with a little fit-throwing, temper-tantrum yeilding gremlin!! (gremlin in a good way, which most of you don't know that we've been calling her for a long time. She loves to make gremlin noises and be scary). Starting about two months ago we were pretty sure she was starting to get into her terrible-twos. Well it is official and it has definitely began!

One of the first forms of punishment we tried was spanking (nothing but on the diaper...just enough to give her a pop back down-to-earth). Nope, the spanking does not work. Sometimes it does for Daddy but not for Mommy. Daddy gets the pouty lip when he spanks and Mommy only gets a hysterical laugh followed by her fleeing away as fast as she can while covering her hiney. So we've moved on to time-outs. Those seem to work for about 10min but then we're back to square one. So I've now resorted to time-outs combined with taking away favorite toys and her night-night blankie (which is her most sacred and prized possession, pretty sure a piece of her heart is attached with it at all times).

I'm sure this is just a phase...probably a rather trying and long one but none-the-less a phase. Lots of prayer and persistence are taking place. I'm learning new ways to work around it each day and some things are keepers others are just tossed out the window. I do believe the terrible-twos are most certainly for the birds!

While basking in our quandries of tantrums and shouting matches we also have something to celebrate. Her 2nd birthday party was a complete success!! Hard to believe it's already been two years since we were so greatly blessed. I still believe she was (and still is) a miracle. That once little 4lb baby has turned into the most beautiful and loving (yes I did say loving, somehow this gracefully fits in w/the terrible-twos!! Don't think I've ever meet a child more sharing, caring and loving than her) little girl.

She got clothes & I mean a ton of clothes, a barbie power wheels jeep (we've made improvement w/that too...she actually enjoys sitting in it now minus the movement but we'll get there), a swimming pool, sprinkler, bathing suit, coloring supplies, dress-up clothes, toys and so much more. Thank you to all the family and friends that helped celebrate her special day in her 2nd year of life. Even though she was terrified of getting in the jeep once she realized it moved...and she was scared of the fire (candle) that was on her birthday cake. But hey, at least she had fun bouncing around the balloons and playing w/her friends! After all the party was for her & that's what matters most.

Happy 2nd Birthday Autumn!!

They LOVE each other! 

Autumn & Cooper at Autumn's Party

Pouty face because there was fire on her cake...so we took it off.

Opening presents but 99% of the time the balloons were more entertaining!

Seeing her jeep for the 1st time w/Daddy!

Family Easter Celebration & also Autumn's Birthday! 

Great Aunt Lisa, Aubree, Autumn & Cousin Amanda playing piano! 

Hunting Easter Eggs w/our little family of 4! 

And of course she had to have a Dora Easter Egg Basket!

Just a little baby powder for decoration! 

Hebrews 12:11- "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."