Calm Before the Storm

Last week someone asked me if Ted had hit the famed 'terrible twos'. I had to say no, not really; he's generally quite a laid back little chap.

But boy, did I speak too soon?! For the last few days we've had several completely baffling tantrums, brought on by such injustices as having to get into the car, get into/out of the bath, put clothes on, take clothes off... It's exhausting.

Edit - just published this photo and noticed that you can see that he's still wearing his pyjama top underneath his jumper. Case in point, he just wouldn't let me take it off this morning. Pick your battles I thought...

So today we walked round to the village blacksmith with the door of our wood burning stove carried in the pushchair and Ted on his bike. We have been trying to replace the broken glass in the stove door but the screws were stuck. So while John the Blacksmith set to with a blowtorch, Ted and I loitered around the farmyard watching the telehandler moving bales of hay and, most excitingly, a vast digger and tractor excavating a new farm track across a field.

When the door was mended and it was time to go, I foresaw trouble, but Ted turned and headed towards home on his balance bike with no problem. Phew! Then I noticed a black cloud heading our way, and neither of us had coats. Trying to hurry him up proved to be my undoing... Within minutes he decided he wasn't coming home at all, but turning round and heading back to the digger; the rain started falling and I was forced to run back and scoop him and his bike up in my arms, carrying him shouting and screaming along the track. Of course we then met 2 sets of friends walking their dogs who tried valiantly to distract, cajole, amuse him, but sadly to little effect. We made it home, but despite the rain he refused to come inside so I left him outside (with the door open I hasten to add!) until he distracted himself with his toy diggers. He came in soon afterwards as a different child; storm clouds of temper passed, and ready for a hug and a giggle. It's so hard to know what to do with him when he gets so wound up, there seems to be no reasoning with him - no cuddling, no talking, no nothing. I'm hoping that it's partly to do with the final 2 molars that are breaking through, I don't fancy too much more of it!