The Contrarian

We have a new resident at our house, Mr. Contrarian. AJ is in the terrible twos phase where everything, and I mean everything gets a response of no. Or more accurately, NO! I don't wanna [insert whatever your suggestion was]." He is so busy asserting his power to say no that he doesn't have time to figure out what it is that he actually wants, which makes it difficult to get through even every day tasks. Common things like diaper changes inspire nuclear meltdowns. Today it was "No! I don't wanna take off my dirty diaper! I don't wanna throw it in the garbage! I don't wanna clean new diaper!" I tried the recommendation to give him a choice of two things, in this case a Big Bird diaper or a Cookie Monster diaper, but he no wanna either. So I tried for the well-you-had-a-chance-to-choose-my-friend-and-now-it-is-mama's-choice approach. And as he thrashed around and I tried to make him put on a diaper, I realized that he is starting to get to a size and strength where it is difficult for me to physically get him to do what I want when he is not cooperating. So I put him into his crib for a time out sans diaper and came back a few minutes later to hear him gleefully crowing "I peed on the wug! I peed on the wug!" and sure enough, the little spitfire had peed through the slats in his crib and scored a direct hit on the rug. I felt totally and completely outwitted. God help me when he is 16.