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Bipolar, or Just Two Years Old?
We’ve all heard the phrase “terrible twos”, referring to toddlers at age two and their moodiness. Now, call me naive, but I never figured that our sweet little girl would ever have a drop of crankiness in her. However, as we approach her second birthday, Avey is making it pretty clear that she is perfectly capable of mood swings.
The other day, for example, she woke up from a two-and-one-half-hour nap. I thought for sure she would feel on top of the world after that kind of rest (I know I would). She was talking pleasantly to her Raggedy Andy doll in her crib when I came in to get her out. She casually mentioned to me that she would like her toy. With such a vague request, I responded, “Sure, you can have your toy,” and set her on the floor expecting her to locate the toy to which she referred.
To my surprise, she transformed before my eyes into the embodiment of a tantrum! It was the end of the world! How could I, her own father, not know exactly which toy she wanted? Such abusive insensitivity had never before been heard of in the history of parenthood!
I tried to calm her down enough to get some more information on what she wanted. After several minutes I must have asked the key question because she calmed down enough to take a breath. “Do you want your toy?” She responded in her most pitiful voice, “Okay.” I hesitantly picked her up, much like one might handle a landmine. She didn’t explode until I asked her to tell me which toy she wanted. The eruption was enormous! I’ve never been shredded to pieces by shrapnel, but I can now imagine what it must be like.
After a few more attempts to put out the grease fire in my hands, I must have inadvertently thrown water on it because she was kicking and screaming so much I had to set her down. That was the wrong thing to do.
Finally, through sobbing and tears that would make a professional mourner blush, I caught the word “fridge”. I realized she must want the teething ring we keep in the refrigerator. Sure enough, when I handed it to her, all was again right with the world.
I wish I had gotten the whole thing on video, but instead, here’s another of Avey’s musical moments: Click here for the original, full-length song.