I SAID PANCAKES & EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She's only two. I'm 33. That means I'm the boss...I'm in control. Right?? I guess anyone with a toddler is snickering at that notion. I've watched Supernanny. I've read parenting books. I've spoken with psychiatrist. I've tried "the old school" methods handed down by my parents. I've tried holding, comforting and soothing. To no avail.

Here we were again....locked up in the darkness of the bathroom--spit and snot flinging, shrill screams piercing my ears causing sharp shooting pains throughout my head. We're now going on 30 minutes of this. The trigger? I fixed her what she asked for for breakfast...pancakes and eggs. Buuuuuut...I ADDED potatoes and bacon...which she did NOT ask for...and there wasn't a section on her plate that the bacon fit perfectly in. So the potatoes and bacon ended up in a crumpled up heap on the floor mat...which then posed a problem cause there was nowhere (clean)to put her feet.

Next, daddy (doggone-it!) gave her a glass of milk...but the cup wasn't quite full enough. That was the final straw. Another mother-of-meltdowns began. In a show of solidarity and per our discussion from the night before about how to deal with this distburbing behavior, we both tried to ignore the ensuing and intesifying fit. My poor 11 mo. old wandered around babbling and rubbing her eyes, wanting "Up, Up!" so she could settle down for her morning nap amidst the unfolding chaos that seems to now be a normal part of every day. Yep...we have been doing this every day for at least a week. The cereal wasn't poured right, the paper had a wrinkle in it, put on the wrong shirt or played the wrong song...it's random, but it's guaranteed. This is a resurgence of extreme tantruming, not something new. I keep racking my brain for what may have caused a comeback of this awful behavior. I have begun to pray when I hear her footsteps nearing our door in the morning--that it will be a better day and that God will give me the patience and the wisdom I need to deal with whatever fits the day will bring. That I will not respond in a way that is damaging....cause to tell you THE truth, there are times when I want to shake her...or give her a good old fashioned dancin'-on-the-floor-tryin'-to-grab-the-belt-beggin'-for-mercy-syllable-whoopin!!! There are those who would read this and say, "DO IT! That's what she needs...a good whoopin'!" and there are those who are appalled at the thought. Me...I don't know. Anyway...not the introduction I had planned for what my "Loving Zazo" means. They are my little girls. They are my heart. They are my...payback and then some. My mom is somewhere laughing right now. Boy did I have it comin'. Bring it baby girls! Cause no matter what...come what may...I know I will spend the rest of my life....loving ZaZo. So help me God.