i don't think it's working

This one is trouble.

Unnaturally adorable trouble.

I love two. I have always loved two. They are so cute at two. Boy, does this one have two down. I can barely discipline him at all. Today after an exciting incident in the bathroom involving lots of water and not a few bubbles (given away by the peals of delighted laughter drifting through the house) I walked him to "time-out". He trotted along pleasantly and and sat there kicking his feet cheerfully. When I went to walk away he pulled me back in order to plant a kiss on my nose.

When he was sent downstairs at bedtime to find his blankie he instead moved three different kitchen chairs to the counter and managed to open every cupboard and drawer in the kitchen, also both fridge doors (kitchen and garage) were wide open. Apparently he was looking for something. He was down there for all of 90 seconds. It was like that scene in The Sixth Sense when the Mom turns away and when she turns back all the cabinet doors and drawers are open and it's all creepy. When I ordered him upstairs in a rather stern voice (not yelling or anything exciting) he collapsed to the floor in a sobbing mess of despair at my disapproval. Sigh. He had to be carried upstairs because he was simply too sad to walk.

But lately it's his joyful, full-bellied laugh that is coloring our world. He loves to get a reaction, any reaction. I don't even have to work at it. I am the funniest thing he has ever seen and once he starts giggling, I'm gone. Tonight the two of them were telling each other jokes in the bathtub and we could hear them throughout the house. The jokes make no sense at all but often include the word toilet or underwear which are both apparently hilarious. They couldn't stop. And I was so glad to hear it.

He does not do anything like the books say, or like his brother, or even like himself yesterday. There is no predicting this child and frankly, I am completely charmed by his antics. At two, he has me under his power. He is fooled by none of my tricks and cowed by few of my consequences. The scales are tipped the wrong way in this relationship. I think I should be more nervous than I am.