B and the Horrible Threes

I know, B isn't three quite yet, but boy has she been acting like (what I read) a three year old. She has always been strong willed and stubborn, she has pushed it into overdrive. By the time I dropped her at school and walked back to the car (yes, we had to drive because it took me that long to get her out of the house) I was in tears. Just plain, emotional exhaustion.

Monday was ballet. Getting her there was like pulling teeth. "I am not going," B said. Then, no nap. The nap thing has been difficult, because, even though she still wants to nurse before her nap, I don't seem to have any milk to give her. Probably, between the pregnancy and her nursing less and less. Really, the only time she wants it is at nap time.

And, I have been sleeping poorly. My allergies really could use some Allegra D, but no can do when pregnant. I wake up a lot, stuffed up. Some nights I get back to sleep quickly, some I don't. Last night, I woke up a lot, almost once every hour, but went back to sleep easily.

B has really been trying to assert her control over all situations. We didn't have a tantrum this Tuesday morning, but there was a lot of crying when I brushed her hair. I mean really, I don't make her wear a head band or anything, the least the kid can do is let me (or she can do it) comb the knots out.

She did take a nap Tuesday. A three hour nap. Then was up until 10. That is the catch. No nap, grumpy child, nap, awake child. Wednesday, she woke early, after going to bed late. She was in a fine, cooperative mood, yet had two accidents at school as well as several in the afternoon. I tried to get her to take a nap, but no way. She was a grump by 4:00, I got her in bed around 8:15 (she actually laid down there during a snit) and by 8:30 she was asleep (and Mike and I got to watch the True Blood finale - YEAH).

I know we are doing something wrong. I try to keep bedtime rituals the same, as well as nap rituals (with the exception of milk). But she just doesn't want to do what we want, just because it's what we want.

This was one of my favorite B moments of the week. Yesterday, after eating her after school lolli, she wouldn't throw her stick away.

B: "You throw it away, Mom," then asked to watch something on the computer.

ME: "Throw your stick away, and I'll turn on dinosaur.

B: "I'll just put it right here." Then places the stick on a towel and covers it up.

ME: "No, you need to get up and throw it away."

B: Tears.

After she ate lunch (not watching anything), she saw Mike and me each eating a cookie.

B: "What are you eating? Is that a treat?" May I have one?

Me: "After you throw your stick away."

B: Tears.

The weird thing is, she opened the garbage to throw the stick away, then wouldn't do it. She threw herself to the ground instead. So, so stubborn.

So, any advice will be considered. Will it just be a long year? Should she go to school (where according to her teachers she is laid back and so polite) full time, every day? Is it to late to drop her at the fire station? Sell her to the gypsies? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN CHARLIE IS BORN? It will be tear city on James Street. Mine, B's, the baby's, and Mike's as her running for the hills.