The Destruction Path of a 2.5 Year Old

I live in the destruction path of a 2.5 year old. He is small but he is mighty. He can generate a mess like no other. From the minute he wakes up for the day to nap time and then again from his nap until bedtime he goes non stop. Like a humming bird he flies from mess to mess reeking havoc on my house.

My oldest son never really went through a "terrible twos" stage (though he is making up for it now) so I didn't really expect the insanity associated with raising a 2 year old. I'm scared. Scared that the "terrible twos" are going to last longer than the time he is actually 2. He shows no sign of slowing down.

If anything he is getting worse. Now he has the verbal skills to go along with his physical destruction. "Please help mommy clean up the freshly folded clothes you just pitched out of the laundry basket"
"NO" and takes off running. He's like Tasmanian devil disguised as a cute little puppy dog.

He makes it impossible to discipline him. He flashes "the" grin or says something cute or hugs me and says "I torry mom" and I'm done. He knows he can beat me at this game. He knows that no matter how big a mess he makes or how much he terrorizes his little brother if he uses one of those weapons he will win.

Chasing a 2.5 year old is a full time job. I am always amazed to see what kinds of destruction he comes up with. I can't help but be impressed with how productive he is in a day. He can clear a toy shelf, empty a dresser, throw his breakfast/lunch from his booster seat, clean off the movie rack, toss his brother's toys out the front door, help himself to the contents of the fridge and dump 2 laundry hampers and all before nap time.

Then when bedtime comes he doesn't want to lay down and go to sleep. I'm exhausted from chasing him all day so he should be tired too. I wish. Bedtime is party time. This is evident when he gets up in the morning from a bed with every stuffed animal he owns along with all his tractors/trains/dinky cars in there with him.

He's nuts. He just goes, goes, goes. Living in the destruction path of a 2.5 year old adds spice to my life and will laugh about all this some day...provided he grows out of it that is.