How Life Changes with a 2 Year Old

I've often considered my life a sitcom or lately more like a Reality TV Show. I am almost certain that the events that happen in my life are relatable but not to the extent that they happen to me. Or maybe, it's just my sense of humor that helps me cope with life's little mishaps.

I love my 2 year old. In fact, I really like this age. I like that we can interact more and that his personality continues to develop in leaps and bounds. But having a 2 year old also comes with it's challenges.

I've been told that I have a typical 2 year old. You know, the type that can't sit still for very long. Is into everything, very curious. My 2 year old also has selective hearing. He doesn't hear me when I tell him to sit down after the 10th time of him getting up from the table but he does hear it when I tell him I am going to feed his food to the dogs if he doesn't want it.

Before you call DCF, it's a game we play. Alberto is funny with food. He doesn't want it unless someone else wants it. And well, my little dogs want his food (not that they get it -- not on purpose anyway). It works as well with human beings. He will eat if he thinks he's eating my food or if I am going to eat his food. But he won't eat it if he thinks it's his food and no one else wants it.

Alberto loves the movie Cars and to indulge him on his new obsession, I bought him 2 little Lightning McQueen and my friend bough him a whole little set with several of the cars. He even knows their names. He takes these cars with him wherever he goes (and I am seriously considering buying some replacements just in case). Sometimes, he just needs to have one in each hand. Sometimes, he placed one on each side of him as he sits in the car seat or the stroller. And make no mistake, they are HIS cars and don't anyone touch them. I was also told that it was typical 2 year old behavior not to share.

Today, I had a rescue mission with one of the cars. See, Alberto and I went to Whole Foods for our groceries. I made the mistake of going to the Whole Foods that has those Little Tyke like cars attached to the cart. Alberto can get in and out of them and he does constantly. It took a long time to get out of the produce section. There was Alberto steering his "car" with his little cars scattered next to him. That was until he decided to get out of the car and start playing with them on the floor of Whole Foods.

I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but the floor is really dirty. So while I turned to pull out some yogurt and put it in the cart, Alberto was on the floor rolling his cars. Oh, that was not good. I didn't notice any other kids doing that. Actually, I didn't see any other kids in the store. There I was with my cute little child on the dirty floor of Whole Foods while snobby people watched.

I managed to compose myself as I recalled the tips I learned from the Dog Whisperer; calm assertive. So, I picked up Alberto and placed him in the child seat in the cart. Somehow, this calm assertive state worked. I picked up the cars from the floor. All except for one.

See, his little yellow Luigi had rolled under this HUGE stainless steel cart that looked like an old Cappuchino stand. I couldn't really see myself moving this thing as it looked like it had been there for a while and did I mention it was HUGE? So, I told Alberto that I couldn't get it.

Oh, that was like telling him his best friend had died. So, I looked at him, in my Dog Whisperer calm assertive, and told him not to move. I got on all fours to see how far Luigi was. Fortunately, he wasn't too deep -- I suppose the filth slowed him down. I reached down and under and pulled Luigi out trying my best not to touch the slime. It was a successful rescue mission. Luigi was returned to Alberto's possession and we both needed antibacterial baths after that.

Life changes with a 2 year old. They are mobile, they are verbal, they are active, they have personalities, they have likes and dislikes. In all the craziness of my Luigi rescue, I was reminded that to a little 2 year old, I was a hero. And that means more to me than the judgemental stares from strangers.