Phase Two

Well, it's happened.  And it's happened fast.  The Terrible Twos have begun.  Actually, it's the Terrible One and 51/52nds, but, who's counting?  My little daughter has changed - practically overnight - into this faintly recognizable version of the cutesy little girl she was less than a week ago.  They're disturbing, these newly developed defiant behaviors.

She has learned the meaning of the word "no" to the point that she answers on behalf of the dog when we talk to him: 

"Hey boy, you wanna go outside, buddy?"
"No!"
"Actually, honey, I was talking to Dre."
"Noooo!"
"Yes, I was baby so..."
"No!"
"Whatever."

She has also mastered the art of body contortion.  Pick her up when she doesn't want to be picked up and her knees go automatically to her chest - and then her feet to your chest.  Try to put her in her car seat at the wrong moment and her body goes rigor mortise on you like a cadaver in med school.  Oh, and forget about keeping a diaper on her.  That is, if you can get one on her in the first place.  It's like wrestling a bobcat.

Yes, she seems to be embracing this new phase with vigor.  She still has her cutesy side, mind you; you just have to look really hard to find it.  And I don't mind doing that, I guess.  After all, she's still my little pumpkin, right?

"No!"
Shut it, kid.