Cooper's terrible 2s

Summer is here it seems and the warm weather is out in full force. Cooper has already spent countless hours in his own swimming pool, chasing Papa with the garden hose, riding his tricycle and being pushed in the stroller. We spend most every evening outside taking walks, kicking our big blue ball, practicing baseball with our Thomas the Train bat and ball and just plain ol' exploring.

Kristin's son Cooper

We have also spent lots of time throwing fits when told we have to go inside, screaming when we can't play in the road or don't get our way, or hitting our friends and family if they aren't fast enough kicking our ball back. Now, granted, I am no authority on the matter, but I do believe that my child has entered the terrible 2s a little early.

At 19 months I thought we had some time before those 2s hit. My niece never really hit the terrible 2s except for those two months when she refused to sleep in her bed, and by that time she was well into the age of 2. I was (it seems futile now) hoping that I had the blessing of having a well-behaved child, too.

Cooper, it seems, is not only advanced for his age in learning but also in those terrible personality flaws that tend to happen to toddlers at the age of 2. Is this something that I am just forced to deal with, or is there a way to stop it?

We have tried timeout: He sits very well and doesn't really get up until we tell him to, but he screams like he is dying the whole entire time. I have tried to spend more time with him so that he doesn't feel left out, but that doesn't seem to have had any effect, except that we now watch an hour of Thomas or Barney every night and I haven't been to the bathroom alone in more than six months. We have tried no outside time or "toons" if a fit is thrown, but that just makes it worse. And yes, I have even spanked my child (gasp, the horror!) but that doesn't seem to do anything, either. Spanking usually just gets me an "I hate you" stare as the screaming and fit-throwing continue.

It's not every day, but usually at least once a week and usually the only night a week that Max is not home. Max thinks Cooper is possessed, and after the last fit we had, I just might agree! Cooper screamed like he was on fire because we made him come in for dinner and he decided he didn't want to. Nothing stopped his screaming for half an hour until he pointed to the snack drawer and got himself some fruit snacks and handed them to me to open. After that he was peachy keen and I was more adept to believing the possessed claim.

I know every child goes through this horrible phase; I just wish mine were above it. Head on over to my Baby Steps page on Facebook and let me know if you have any suggestions. I am more than willing to try anything to get rid of the terrible 2's demon that has possessed my sweet baby!

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Kristen Pind, a native of small-town Gower, Mo., came to Southeast Missouri State University with big dreams of being the next Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer. She never thought that by age 25, she'd be married with a baby and living in Cape Girardeau. Keep up with Kristen's adventures as a first-time mom -- one who's still a girl trying to figure out how her own life fits together. Turns out, she's living a dream she never knew she had, and loving every minute of it. Kristen invites moms of all types to find her "Baby Steps" page on Facebook.