Big Bully Ben

It's official, the twins are turning two next month. I can tell this not only by the fact that I am trying to plan their birthday party, but by the fact that they are turning into little terrors. They used to be able to play side by side, each doing their own thing, and be fine. That is changing, and it's changing fast.

The boys have these teddy bear blankets that they LOVE. They call them their 'teds' (Emma's word) Grant's is yellow and Ben's is blue. They know whose is whose, they can easily differentiate between the two which really helps keep most fights at bay. However, recently Ben has decided to become a little meanie-head. (For a more accurate description of Ben's behavior, substitute a four-letter word for "meanie head." There you go.) Earlier today, they were both holding their teds watching a show, happy and content with their little buddies. Ben suddenly looked over at Grant, got that big, sweet, cute smile that means something bad is about to happen, ran up to him and ripped Grant's ted right out of his hands, then ran over and threw it behind the entertainment center. Now, we do not have one of those new, modern entertainment centers that hold new, modern flat screen tv's. We have a huge, wood box entertainment center with a big box tv and the additional shelves on the side for vcr's and other out-dated media equipment. The thing is heavy, I could barely lift it when I wasn't pregnant, and we had put it close to the walls so that no little children could climb behind it. Grant is screaming like he just witnessed a pirate hauling his mother away, and I swear Ben said "HaHa!"

Ben was sent to time out and ted was retrieved with a stick. Grant was still wounded from the tragedy, so when Ben came out, I broke my own rule and gave them binks while they watched a show, hoping that would calm them down. Ben must have decided he liked going into time out, after a little while he ran up to Grant, ripped the bink right out of his mouth and threw it across the kitchen.

Now, I gotta be honest, Grant does kinda have it coming. Grant really manipulated the fact that Ben started walking long after Grant did, and would steal his toys and run away, knowing Ben could never catch him. It's unfortunate, yet understandable, that just when Grant seems to be more inclined to share, Ben decides to move into the bully role. Honestly, I really can't blame the kid. I am so screwed in the future!