Terrible Two's?

Lately, I feel like we have really entered the stage of the terrible two's. I say this in a very positive and accepting manner. A has always been very independent and has always done her own thing, but lately she has been such a mess. I am just not use to it at all, so it is something I am learning to adjust to. I really hope it is just a phase.

She has always gone through nap time phases. Generally when we would go through nap time phases, she was just trying to adjust to a new schedule. I have always allowed her to have her own schedule and create her own schedule because I felt it was best for her. It was easy for me to do because I stay at home with her. Over the last few months, she really has been fighting her naps. She refuses to nap for me. I try to lay down with her with or without E. I have allowed her to lay on the couch and watch TV, which is something I rarely allow. And I have even just let her decide when she is tired. She did good for a while. She would tell me when she was tired, but she never actually would go to sleep. I figured it was just a learning stage, but once she understood she would not fight it and would happily lay down. That never happened. We have many napless days, which makes for long evenings when Mr. Man gets home.

We are also going through the stage of her wanting her Dad all the time. That is fine by me. But it becomes hard when she will not allow me to assist her with things. She demands Mr. Man do it, and if he is not immediately available, she will whine and get upset. If I try to help her, she will just get more upset. I know she doesn't get much time with him and she is with me all the time, but it is so frustrating for me when I try to do everything she wants to make her happy and content only for her to decline and demand her Dad. Mr. Man thinks I am nuts. Not really, but sort of. He wonders why on the weekends she will take naps for him without a problem. She will just lay down with him and within seconds she is snoring and sleeping like a baby. He keeps telling me I'm not doing it right or I'm not approaching her in the right way. How aggravating when I am indeed the one who is with both girls all day every day.

Lately, she has really been voicing her opinions and thoughts. Her vocabulary is expanding big time. I absolutely love this stage, except that when she wants something she screams and demands. She isn't one to throw tempter tantrums in the sense of sprawling on the floor, but she definitely hollers. I thought maybe she picked it up from Mr. Man and I always calling for one another or talking to each other loudly if one is upstairs and the other is downstairs, but after thinking about everything else I kind of think it's just part of this stage.

Majority of our days are amazing. When it is just me at the house, she listens, she lets me help her, and she is fun. She's very helpful with Baby E and she definitely has no jealousy or resentment towards E. I was really afraid of all that, but thankfully she shows no hatred or resentment towards her.

So.... I always thought of terrible two's in a completely different way. I always said that if this is terrible two's, then it is nothing. And I definitely do still feel that way. But my question is... is this her version of terrible two's? I know all kids are different and express themselves in different ways.We are so blessed to not have full on tempter tantrums, yet. But these moments of begging for her Dad and screaming her demands is so frustrating.

Here's to Terrible Two's.