The terrible "two-and-a-halfs"

We have all heard about the terrible twos right, you don't even have to be a parent to know that one. But Lexie, as she likes to do, impressed me with her behavior so much, that I thought maybe we would miss that milestone of independence. And then she turned 2 and a half (insert sinister dum, dum, dum music here).

I know she wants to try and learn and explore, but as her parents we can provide some guidance so she does not get hurt/fall/eat cat food. She has decided that she no longer needs to listen to her parents. Some examples? Let's see where do I start? After much, much convincing, we finally persuaded her that if she wants to talk while others are talking to say "excuse me" and not scream "STOP TALKING" at the top of her lungs. Now we just need her to know that saying "excuse me" does not automatically mean she gets undivided attention right at that moment. She has also taken to pushing the stools from our bar/counter in the kitchen all over the house so she can reach anything high up. She waits until we are not looking and then it happens. One day she was up on the stool in the medicine cabinet because she really, really needed some Tylenol. My favorite is one day when I heard from the other room "Mommy, I made a really huge mess" and yes she had by spilling a bucket of water all over the floor.

My favorite thing is that the "2-and-a-halfs" have turned us into those parents that I used to glare at in public before I had kids. Yes, we have taken her kicking and screaming out of a restaurant. That kid you just stepped over as you leave Target? Yeah, that was her. The kid pushing the cart all over the aisle at the grocery store. Yup, Lexie again. I do try to give those exasperated looks to others that I used to get. But I would like to state for the record that while annoying yes, if she were not doing these items, there would be a meltdown of epic proportions. So I give in, because I am a parent now and I get it.

Needless to say, I am quite excited to get through this phase and get my well behaved little girl back. But wait, what is that you said? Did I really hear you correctly? The threes are worse..wha? Good grief:)