"Moooooooom!!!"

I can already hear it starting - and all they do is whine, grunt and giggle for now. The yelling, "Mooooom!!! David...or Mary Louise hit..." Those two are really something! They have already started to have full tantrums if and when they don't get something they want - or when something they shouldn't have is taken away. When I say tantrum, I mean the whole flailing of the arms, gritting of gums, balling of fists...if they could walk they would do the swinging arms while partially bent over like and ogre stomping behind me. But instead, they do the equally dramatic tantrum crawl in which each hand placement sounds like they're dropping 10 pound weights on the floor.

Yesterday, David and Mary Louise were playing at my feet as usual while I emptied the dishwasher. They each had a toy. As expected, Mary Louise eventually lost interest in hers and took David's (because whatever he has is inevitably more exciting). David stopped for a minute, considered crying (judging by his facial expression), and opted instead to take his precious plaything back. Now, in over a year, David has rarely, if ever, challenged Mary Louise. Sometimes he pays no attention to her fast hands ways and simply grabs another toy, sometimes he screams and crawls to the nearest adult. But it is next to never that he makes a gesture to take back his toy. He is and has always been opportunistic. Even his therapists notice. He simply goes the path of least resistance. He can switch gears in an instant if an initial plan just isn't working out.

Mary Louise on the other hand, ha, she's a bit more like her momma than I like to admit- or care to think about. If she wants something, and sets her mind to it, there is. no. diversion. There is no replacement. It doesn't matter if she must go the hardest and most ridiculous route to get there - nor how trivial the end result is - she will achieve it (and only it) eventually. In short, she's a stubborn little buggar.

So, Mary Louise took David's toy and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little smirk come over his face as he slowly reached across Mary Louise to claim what was his in the first place...when she bit him! She bit his arm!! David and I were both in such shock that he looked up at me- completely dumbfounded - and I just stared back at him - wide-eyed and open mouthed. Mary Louise? Oh - she just smiled and enjoyed her prize...

Is there such a thing as that 2 stage happening at age 1? They may be just 10 months adjusted, but in spirit, I'm pretty sure they're 13.

xo,
Heather

P.S. I may have found the culprit to Mary Louise's sudden snappiness...this morning, I noticed 2 more teeth just barely peaking through her upper gums. Hopefully, that explains her tossing and turning for the past 2 nights as well.