The 2's (the age of negotiations)

At two and a half my little one now seems more like a little girl than a toddler *sob*. It is a truly wonderful age – her imagination is amazing, her dance moves are hilarious, her ability to learn is inspiring, and her giggle just so infectious. 

But what I have come to realise is that our days are now just one big negotiation.

We wake up, I negotiate her coming to take her bedtime nappy off (she says she likes it wet). Then I negotiate getting her downstairs for breakfast (she's not hungry). Then once downstairs she finds all her favourite things to play with so again I have to persuade her up to the breakfast table. 

Me: "oh but little giraffe says he really wants to help you eat your breakfast."
3:0 to mummy.


And so the negotiations continue:

Sit on the potty. 
Go upstairs again.
Get dressed. ("But your rabbit dress is in the wash and this one would be perfect for running really fast in.")
Brush teeth.
Go downstairs again.
Put shoes and coat on if you want to go to the park.
Hold my hand walking to the park.
Time to leave the park.
Hold my hand walking back from the park.
Sit up for lunch. 
Wear bib.
Use fork.Wash hands.
Just play a minute while mummy does the dishes.
Don't play with mummy's jewellery boxes.
Get shoes and coats on.
Get in car.
Sit in the trolley.
Persuade her to look after the bread rather than the eggs.
Stay on trolley at the tills.
 
...Oh you get the idea. I'm worn out writing it!

It's battle of the wills and I can just about outwit her with my clever negation skills at the moment. We get there in the end... but just once wouldn't it be nice to say "time to get our coats on" and hear "OK mummy here I come".


Those days are just around the corner right?