I always knew that the earliest developmental stages of my sons’ lives weren’t going to be my favorite. I have always wanted to be a father, but what I was looking forward to were the things a little further down the line: taking them to movies and baseball games; coaching their sports teams or other activities; traveling with them on vacations that they were eagerly anticipating. Slightly older kids stuff. That was totally fine with me. I was more than willing to wait and do my best to relish the journey getting there.That doesn’t mean I haven’t enjoyed the last two-plus years of their lives – I have, I swear! We have made more precious memories than I can hold in my sleep-addled brain. But I was still always looking forward to the next thing. “I can’t wait until they’re old enough to make their own breakfast; to be potty trained; until they can fully communicate what it is they want; whenever we can get rid of these bulky car seats; when they start school or join their first sports team,” the list goes on.Well, it finally happened. I’m now looking back instead of forward, because about a month ago, the terrible twos arrived. I thought it was overblown, maybe even a myth, that all kids hit a stage where the tantrums and moodiness seem endless. I was wrong. Now, everything is “no.”Put on your shoes to go in the backyard? No. Sit still for a diaper change? Nope. Eat a few bites of dinner? Get out of here. Leave the house in time to not be late for wherever we’re going? LOL.Things that were once routine, like putting on clothes, getting in the car, and bedtime now take infinitely longer. We have been losing entire nights getting our kids to bed the past few weeks. Nobody spoil “Stranger Things” for me, I’m still waiting for them to settle at a reasonable enough hour for me to finish it!I miss my sweet boys and the general agreeableness to whatever we asked of them. Not the constant battle things tend to feel like now. As is the case with all things twins, two is certainly making this moment a bit more challenging. They still have their sweet moments, of course (with twice the challenge comes twice the joy), but while one may be having a nice morning, the other probably isn’t.
