David Beckh@m has nothing on SS.

Our little girl is 2.5 years old today, and she is really embracing toddlerhood. Her Nana sent her an e-mail congratulating her on this milestone. Let's just say that I missed the . in 2.5, and all I could see was 25. As in SS is welcoming her thirtieth month on Earth with the fury of twenty-five toddlers. OY! Sorry, but we had another rough night. I feel so inadequate about getting SS to sleep in some sort of consistent manner. Last night she ended up in bed with us, and she kicked us a la Beckh@m. After three hours of that blissful treatment, P moved SS to her crib. That means I could not fall asleep because I can't think about SS being awake while I sleep. Total wimpy behavior on my part, but I am not likely to change.

SS managed to get all of two hours sleep and was a bear this morning. She had spaghetti for breakfast (the good stuff, not out of a can), and I was hoping a full tummy would help her nap. SS spent most of the morning screaming and napped for forty-five fitful minutes, on top of me. When P came home for lunch, he could hear SS screaming while I bathed her. The screaming has stopped, and after more noddles and sausage, I am once again hoping she naps.

Not everything is doom and gloom, but we are certainly dealing with the emergence of an even more stubborn and bossy SS. We honestly thought she had reached her limit, but no, like an infomercial, "Wait there's more!" Some of the behavior is comical, and some is worrisome. No one does stubborn like SS. Very often, it takes everything we have not to crack up right in front of her. There is a very good reason why G0d makes kids adorable, otherwise, it would get ugly more often.

When SS is not letting us know how displeased she is with our insistence on manners and discipline, SS is fixated on her diaper. The potty thing is not going well. P will most likely finish the M&Ms before SS has another one. That has not stopped SS from stripping several times an hour. Yesterday, SS went through five diapers in an hour. To foil our attempts at putting the very dry diaper back on, SS is now throwing them in the toilet. SS is no longer allowed in the bathroom without us. At least she did not try to flush the diapers.

SS is also having fun with what she hopes becomes the next Olympic sport, Synchronized Potty. She follows me into the bathroom, strips and happily sits on her potty. SS then proceeds to "visit" with her Mama. Seriously, it's like she is having a cup of coffee at St@rbucks, with her BFF. It cracks me up. P found it funnier, until this morning, when SS "visited" with him, at a time when he preferred to be alone. But we know that cute does not last forever. We know that SS won't be our shadow for much longer. The time will come when she will become the independent young woman we envision, and these little inconveniences will only be distant memories. Until then, we want to enjoy every uncomfortable second. Happy half-birthday SS!