Stubborn goat

Max can be an ornery stubborn ole goat at times. These days it seems like most of the time. This morning, not even 6 am and we are in the twins room and I'm changing diapers. R went first while Max and N bonded in her crib. Then, R was free and I was doing N's poo. R picks up and starts swinging this hard toy. Max starts cheering and telling him to bonk N on the head. I ignore Max, but tell R not to listen to his brother and that I will have to take the toy away if it does bonk N, because it hurts her and she doesn't like it. R, this time, doesn't get drawn in, so Max gets out of the crib, takes the toy away from R, and bonks N (not hard and she didn't even cry), but as he was preparing for all this, I warned him the consequence would be that he would need to leave the room. He did, I put him out of the room, he didn't like it.

Jim (my cousin's husband who has a new job in San Diego and is here again this weekend...cousin comes tomorrow) were talking about this last night...how he just tests and pushes it to make sure you are going to follow through. Jim told me that at the store yesterday Max was trying to poke a whole in the wrap for the meat. Jim asked him to stop. Max didn't. He was warned to stop or he would need to get out of the cart for 2 minutes. He did it anyway.

It just gets so tiring and as much of a pain it is to follow through it is worse and escalates if I don't (which does happen on rare occasion) follow through. I feel like I always need leverage by having something he wants to do, but can't if he doesn't listen or is mean or am constantly having to give him consequences.

It gets old. Or, have I said that already.

I keep hoping it is a phase, but I think part of it is just personality. Has be a bit scared for the future when I really stop to think about it.