Being two is hard

I have always felt like Eleanor hopped on the two-year-old train a little faster than most because most of her friends are older, and I am hoping that means she will hop back off it a little earlier than most, too. So far being two has consisted of some very sweet snuggles and adorable phrases, but has been accompanied by lots of boundary and limit testing as well as lots of the word, "mine." She likes to pick out clothes, but throws a fit if her "heart shirt" (for example) is dirty and she can't wear it. Sharing toys and taking turns is also very, very difficult these days - something she never seemed to struggle with before now. Tantrums are somewhat unpredictable, particularly if things are wrong in her routine.

That being said, she is a real person with real feelings that you have to explain things to, negotiate and compromise with, and listen to these days. While I feel like I've known her personality for awhile now, she continuously surprises us with her words and actions. 

She dreams at night now (we can tell because she talks in her sleep at times), and she certainly is wholly her own person independent of us. I always hear people say "I love this stage the best" as their kid gets older and older, and while I agree, two is certainly more challenging than most of the other stages thus far. Despite the challenges that come with being two, it's a great age so far, and as soon as she learns healthier ways to express her emotions, I think it will be even better!