Musings of a tired mommy

I love my son dearly and I wouldn't change being his mommy for anything in the world...but please someone tell me the constant battles over every teeny tiny little thing will one day stop? Like before I'm old and gray and rocking my grandchildren? LOL.

We've reached the stage of "No..I DO IT!" and I'm all for encouraging his independance. But when you have to leave the house and you've been trying to get him dressed for 45 minutes and you somehow have a child running around the house laughing and screeching and wearing nothing but socks...and shoes (don't ask)...you start to wish for the days when they wanted you to do everything. He's extremely independant and wants to do it all alone but also easily frustrated and prone to meltdowns of epic proportions when he realizes that as much as he WANTS to do it alone he just CAN'T do it alone.

Then we have the whole potty issue. He hates the pull-ups. He complains they're uncomfortable. He wiggles and squirms and screams he has a "diaper wedgie" and he hates the inconvenience of having to lay down and get changed. However, when asked about big boy undies and using the potty all the time he'll inform us "No...I really don't think so but thank you for asking" Almost three going on forty this one. So we wait, offer encouragement, and be patient. Although we may have a breakthrough. His new best friend at school...Emily (wejust love love love Emily) wears undies. His cousin Megan...partner in crime and all time favorite cousin...wears big girl undies. He's very distressed to think that he seems to be the only one wearing pull-ups and not underwear and told me today he wants underwears tomorrow and no pull-up anymore. So we shall see.

Bedtime has gone from easy peasy to a major war every night because he no longer thinks bedtime should be a requirement. His opinion is that bedtime should be optional and is a bit offended that we feel differently and insist he go to bed when told. Horrible mean ole parents that we are torturing our poor child so.I know a toddler's listening skills are slim to none most of the time and it's typical of the age but I swear I must speak some kind of foreign language because he either doesn't listen to me at all or looks at me like I have no clue what I'm talking about and goes on his merry way.

Then there's the constant debating. I swear he's either going to be a lawyer, a politician, or a car salesman because he negotiates everything...and I do mean everything.
An example:
"Miles, you can have two cookies for snack" and he's given the snack.
"Umm, Mommy, how about I have four cookies?"
"No Miles, I told you TWO and I gave you TWO and that's it"
"But Mommy I really think I NEED to have four cookies"
"No Miles"
"Ok Mommy, how about three cookies. Can I have three cookies?"
"How many did I say you could have?"
"Two"
"How many did I give you?"
"Two"
"So what does that mean?"
*big sigh for effect*
"I want four cookies, I tried to get three cookies, and still onlygot two cookies"
*and after a brief pause*
"But maybe I can get you to give me three or four next time"
At which point he begins to munch on his cookies and flop back into my chair mentally wiped and vowing to work on my debate skills so I'll be ready for the next round...which I know will be coming soon.

Must run...it's time for the how many bedtime snacks can I have, how many George and/or Scooby Doo episodes can I watch before I have to go to bed, and do I really REALLY have to go to bed nightly ritual.