Exorcisms of a Two year old

So, all this time, I have been wondering, what's all the fuss? Isaiah is two, he's pretty good, none of those crazy violent tantrums I've been hearing about. I felt sorry for all those other mothers with their horror stories, and thanked my lucky stars that these things were not happening to us. I thought, maybe Isaiah just won't have them. I thought I can control this, if I just pay enough attention. I thought wrong.

Is it mean that we took pictures? They can't all happy smiley memories!

Isaiah can now go from Angelic to what I call needing an Exorcism in the span of half a second. "WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?" my husband asks me on the phone today after letting him hear Isaiah scream and kick in his car seat like he was possesed by the Devil himself. I could almost see his head turn 360 degrees. It's all about control. My son is a CONTROL FREAK. He's at this age where he wants to do everything himself. If you ask him, "Isaiah, are you a baby?" his immediate response is, "No, I'm a big boy!" But those little hands and limited motor skills just aren't ready to do certain things without help. His frustration mounts so fast before you know it he is just angry wreck. And territorial too! He says, "It's MINE!" or "No it's my turn!" like he's some kind of rabbid dog. I half expect him to pee on whatever he's claiming. And yes, this stuff came out of nowhere. It has really just been crazy the last week. Today, I was that mother (might I mention, a very pregnant mother) at the grocery store who had to leave her cart full of food in the store and carry her toddler kicking and screaming to the car. Yes, that was me. After a good talking to and a nice long timeout in his room, I went in there to find that the Exorcism was over. Isaiah was all sweaty, teary and remorseful, and had turned from green back to a normal human color. Then the fog lifts, he gives me a hug and says "I'm sorry mommy, I love you." and all is right in the world again. Manipulative little buggers aren't they?

I guess I have to just keep remembering: Our kids are not a reflection of us. They are their own little persons with their own will.

But most of the time he IS sweet and smiley.

Afterthought: Okay, so I'm at the store and Isaiah is starting to unravel at the seams... and some older lady without kids comes up to me and says, "Aww, it looks like somebody isn't very happy." Why do people say this? I mean why? Does she somehow think she can make this situation better by stating this?!? What's the reason? Isn't it blatantly obvious that my child is not very happy? Do you really have to verbalize this? Does this really need to be said out loud? Can you not just go about your business, feel sorry for us, be annoyed, or just plain ignore us like everyone else in the store? I wish I would have said, "Well, how very observant of you." Then if that wasn't already bad enough she looks at me, realizes I'm pregnant and adds, "It looks like you've got your hands full!" WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH PEOPLE!