Terrible Two's

For those of you who haven't experienced the terrible twos, you are blessed.  Some kids, apparently, don't have them.  Others are worse than mine as well, I have heard.  But, regardless, here I am.  Round two of terrible twos.

It's a good thing they're cute at this age!!

I think they are kind of like childbirth.  Once it is over, you remember the good parts and kind of forget the "bad" parts, until you are in the middle of it again.  Even then for me I think, wait, it wasn't this bad last time ... or was it?

My middle daughter is a screamer.  She always has been.  There is a scene in the movie Sex in the City when Charlotte says about her daughter, "All she does is cry!"  I felt her pain.  Now, at almost 2 1/2 my daughter has abandoned most crying and has turned to blood curdling screams.

Yesterday, she did not want to go to bed for a nap.  She was so tired, but nap time was not an option.  We had friends over for a play date (of course!) which made the situation even more fun.  The other thing is while she is screaming, if I am holding her, she is hitting or kicking.  Now mind you, she is a little thing ... but still.

So, for 20 minutes, my friend, her kids, and my kids watched as I put #2 back in her crib about 5 times .... all while she was SCREAMMMMING.   Literally, after 15 she almost lost her voice.  I stayed calm, cool, and collected and eventually after a drink of water (her) she wore herself out & went to sleep.

At one point, I went down and asked my friend, "Honestly, what would you do??" because at that point as a mom I wonder WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE???  Is this the make it or break it point?  What would Super Nanny say??  Am I totally screwing up my kid??? or At what point in her therapy at age 16 is this going to come up?

Any thoughts on terrible twos out there?  Love to hear them?  Have you bypassed them, had the child who never had a tantrum? ...  I don't want to hear from you. ;)