DONWANCHU

As a typical 2 year old, her new favorite phrase is "Don-Wan-CHU!" (I don't want to). It's all slurred together into almost 1 word instead of 4. Needless to say, this is NOT my new favorite phrase. "Mikayla, do you have to go potty?" "DON WAN CHU!" "Mikayla, please sit down." "DON WAN CHU!" ARRGGGHH, 2 year olds are truly a test of patience! UNfortunately, her 2nd new favorite phrase is, "I-ont-ike-it" (I don't like it) Which doesn't really mean she doesn't like it. What it REALLY means is, if I say this phrase, I can get the things in front of me to change. For instance Mikayla asks for an apple. After I cut up and apple and place it in front of her, she pushes it away and says, "I-ont-ike-it!". What she hopes will happen is that I will then run back to the kitchen and give her a banana, but then she would most likely refuse the banana, and hope that I come back with fruit snacks. But what I know is that she does like apples, and she is just trying to assert her ability to change the environment around her. Luckily, I am usually smarter than a 2 year old. So when she refuses the apple slices, I just take them away and she gets nothing. And wouldn't you know it, 2 seconds later, she asks for them back and eats them all! Whew, toddlers have the unique ability to change a simple event, like eating a small snack, into an exhausting experience!