Trading Places

I am quite positive some sort of demon has taken over the body of my child.  And that demon is a 3 year old, bipolar asshole.

I was late to work this morning due to a meltdown stemming from pushing a button.  Apparently, today, not any other day EVER, Alex wanted to open the garage door.  But for fun, he didn't let me in on it.  So, after finally convincing him to get dressed and leave the house, we raced through the leaves and to the garage.  I opened the side door, reached up, and pressed the garage door button.  How dare I.

With that, a full blown, snot and tears ridden meltdown ensued.  The only thing I could think of that would coerce this inconsolable child into the car, was to offer to let him sit on my lap while we backed out of the garage and then he could push the button to close the door.  Deal accepted!

We get all backed out, I put the car in park and tell him to hurry and get in his seat so I can buckle him up and we can go.  And in the time it took for me to leave my seat and get to his door, all hell broke loose.  The backing up and closing the door deal was no longer good enough.  Because didn't I realize he still wanted to open the door?!?

I tried telling him we couldn't open it because we had to leave.  He just stood there, screaming and crying that he wanted to open the door.  I told him he had a choice.  Either he could get in his seat under his own accord, or I could put him in his seat.  That choice was met with a resounding NO!  So, I chose.  I put him in his seat, and after 12 seconds of trying to wrestle what I thought was my child, but was in fact now a wild boar, I had had enough.  I told him this was ridiculous and I slammed the door.  Walked to the other side, closed my door, and I walked away and into the backyard.  Yes, that's right.  I walked away from my 3 year old, not buckled in, in a running car.  Winning!

I counted to ten while doing some deep breathing, regained my wits, and walked back over to the car.  And I found him sitting in his seat quietly crying.  As I buckled him in, I asked why he was crying.  "Because I wanted you."  And he reached up and gave me a huge hug.

What. The. Hell.