No, No, No Beatrice

Beatrice is almost 14 months old. She says over 50 words, walks everywhere, she has mastered a few signs, and is this close to figuring out how to put her shoes on (shuusssss as she likes to call them). This is my favorite age so far. She is a little person who can communicate pretty well what she needs/likes/dislikes. Taking care of her is easy.

Beatrice is also very testy. VERY testy. She has discovered that when she is unhappy with her current situation, she has the ability to control her volume to more effectively communicate her dissatisfaction. This manifests itself in yelling and hitting herself, walls, floors, toys, and any other thing that is in her path of fury. Once, she had a momentary loss of sanity because she decided to hit me. She quickly realized that she must have lost her mind because hitting Mommy is a no-no with a capital N. When she forgets that hitting Mommy is not allowed, she quickly turns her hitting into patting and lays her head on me to show me that she was just playing around. "Just kidding, Mommy. I just lost my mind for a minute there."

While this age means a lot more freedom for both her and me, it is also the hardest on my patience. Beatrice wants to do everything. We hear "me me me me me" all day long. She wants to hold her spoon. She wants to hold your spoon. She wants to put her shoes on by herself. She wants to get her snack by herself. She wants to be big and gets very frustrated when whatever she wants isn't for toddlers. And most of the things she wants to "me me me me" are dangerous.

Like shutting doors. Beatrice is like a teenager in the way that she likes to close her bedroom door and turn the iPod on the highest decibel. If we try to open her door, she slams it in our faces. Playing in an unsupervised room behind closed doors is not for toddlers.

Whatcha doin, Beatrice?

Let Daddy see.

Beatrice Claire, don't you shut that door!

Beatrice, open up. NOW!

Mommy said no.

STOP!!!

No more! Give that to Mommy.

Mommy's sorry that you're sad, but iPods are not for toddlers.

And that's just one of the many battles we have on a daily basis. Some days, I feel like all I do is tell Beatrice no, no, no and take things away from her. But safety comes first. Fun and slamming doors always come second. Always.