2 1/2

We joke that Jackson has been going through the terrible 2's for roughly 2 1/2 years...and while this is basically true he has really kicked it into high gear lately!

Sometimes I honestly feel like I'm talking to a dog. You know when you give a command such as "sit" and the dog stands there staring at you with the dopiest expression on its face and does nothing. Yes that is pretty much what it feels like talking to my child daily. The only difference is that instead of standing there with a dopy expression he is yelling back at me and doing the complete opposite of everything I tell him to do and I'm the one standing there with a dopy expression of my face!

Defiant, completely unreasonable and unable to listen to any instruction is what describes Jack's behavior right now. At times I feel that he is getting great joy out of doing things he shouldn't and getting disciplined for them. Blows my mind....I know he's 2.5 and this is normal behavior at this age but it still leaves me standing there with my mouth wide open at times.

When I thought about how it would be to be a mom one day and what my child would be like...I honestly never thought I'd have a child like Jackson. Sure I knew that my kid would throw fits and well...be a kid. I love Jackson's larger than life personality, his innate ability to make anyone smile and laugh and his beautiful spirit.  But with all of these wonderful qualities he has he is also an extremely challenging child. I've read lots of books about different parenting methods but none of them seem to work for Jackson. I feel that we have created an entirely different method for him...and for the most part we make it up day by day.

I just hope that behind all of the discipline he receives and the tears that both of us shed daily that he knows how much I love him and want to be the best mom I can for him. Sometimes it feels like I'm failing and not doing the right thing but all I can do is provide him with love and comfort and pray with all my might that he comes out of this soon!