Temper Tantrum Tot Turn Smartypants

Sidekick is obsessed with sticks.  He loves collecting them anywhere we go.  He especially loves giving them to Dog because she loves them.  We were outside today, and he brought a stick back home for Dog.  I told him to leave it by the door and he pitched a fit.  I told him to leave it on his little chair by the door, and he pitched a fit.  The determination of a 20 month old never ceases to amaze me!  I was not willing to lose this fight, so I grabbed the stick and threw it on the chair.  I unlocked the door and walked inside.  When I turned around to make sure he was behind me, he had picked up the chair with the stick on it and was bringing it over the threshold!  Really???? 

His stubbornness is shining through in his every day life, and while it frustrates me, I have to remember that being stubborn, pushing his limits, and challenging me is his job right now.  But holy sh*t, he's testing me every single day.  It was worse when I had to take Tag away a couple of weeks ago, and while I think he is back to "normal", he still likes to show me he thinks he is in control (and I hold my ground, so he never wins!). 

Just when I feel like my sweet little boy came back after his sadness of not having Tag, I'll screw his life up once again when I leave this week for my trip to Cabo that I won for work. My best friend who moved away last fall will be coming with me.  I miss her so much!  No Momma for five days??!!!  I can't imagine what it'll be like to not see him for five days, to not read books to him at night, to now have to wake up and get in him ready in the morning, to not have to juggle him and Dog (no yard for her because we live in a condo), and to not have my life revolve around feeding Sidekick (does anyone else feel like all they do is feed their kid all day long??).  I haven't been on a vacation for about seven years (visiting family does not count!), so this vacation is well needed (and apparently well deserved since I was one of the top account executives in the country.)  Hopefully Grandma will survive her time with Sidekick, and Momma will come back relaxed, happy, and ready to take on her toddler once again!