Looks Can Be Deceiving

It is hard to believe that Tori, my sweet-looking two year old, can throw the biggest tantrums a mom can imagine. I knew I was in for it when she started throwing fits before she was one year old. Another indicator was her biting problem. She had three victims before she was one, and another innocent toddler sometime when she was about 20 months. Luckily, the victim's parents are sweet friends and very understanding. Thank goodness the biting has stopped, but the tantrums seem to be getting worse. Yesterday, while trying on swim suits in Old Navy, she had one of the biggest fits ever. It was so bad that I had to open the dressing room door. I feared that everyone thought I was beating my child. She did not want to take the swim suit off. And then she did not want to put her clothes back on. I could not put her in my side-by-side double stroller. I was too scared that she would kick or punch her baby sister. Alli and Katie sat quietly as all of this went on. So I grab Tori as she is kicking and screaming. I'm trying to steer the stroller with one hand. I look at Alli and say "LET'S GO!" She says, "Wait! What about my swim suit?" And then once she realizes that I am walking to door and not the register, she starts to cry and tell me how unfair I am. I am so unfair because she was good and I am not buying her anything! By now, I believe everyone in Old Navy was looking at me. One sweet lady even offered to help. Really, lady? I mean, that is sweet, but really? What could a stranger do that would help? I manage to buckle up Tori, who is only wearing a skirt because she managed to somehow take her shirt off while I was carrying her out of the store. I am on the highway for about 5 minutes when I realize that while throwing this huge fit, (yes, the fit has not ended!) Tori has managed to get her arms out of the straps of her car seat. So, of course, I pull over to strap her back in and make sure the straps are tight enough that it does not happen again. Only a mom can imagine how I am feeling at this point. I tell Tori that she will stay in her room for 2 hours when we get home without her paci! I am throwing them all away! I have been meaning to get rid of those darn things and this is a perfect opportunity! As I am driving home, I worry about what I have done. Do I really want to do this? I cannot go back. I have already said that I would throw them away. But she is only two. Will she even remember what I said? But I cannot go back on my word! Be consistent, right! So we get home, I storm up stairs, grab all her paci's and throw them away! And that is it, no more paci's for Tori! That will teach her to throw fits like that..............yeah, right!