2015.02.19 Terrible 2.5's
Violet has not exactly been a meek creature so far. Both willful and demanding, even when measured on the curve of our family.
So it has been quite something to have her find a way to establish the surge from the already lofty baseline. Essentially, each and every aspect that is not conducive to her utter bliss is cause for a descent into eardrum-rupturing screams.
C²: "Would you like some Cheerios for breakfast, sweetie?"
V: "Want milk on my seeweEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAL, DAAAADDYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"
C²: "YES, yes, of course we'll put milk on your cereal."
V" "OKthankyouDaddy."
V: "I Super Grover!"
C²: "Neat! Is the coat your cape?"
V" "It's NOT A COAT IT'S MY CAAAAAAAPE!!!"
C²: "Sorry! Yes, it's a very nice cape."
V: "NO! DON'T TOUCH IT!!!"
C²: "I didn't touch it. What's wrong Vi-vi?"
V: "DON'T TOUCH MY CAPE! ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ!!!"
C²: "Dammit, my ears are bleeding again."
[In bathtub.]
V: <giggle giggle> <splash><splash>
C²: [rinses Violet's hair]
V: <spluttering Nazgûl impersonation>
S: [distantly, from furthest corner of house] "Everything OK in there?"
C²: [shouting] "You're SO funny."
V: "I sit in your lap, Daddy?"
C²: "Sure Vi-vi, hop on up."
V: "I wuv you. You wuv me. We wuv eachuver."
C²: "Yes, that is certainly true-"
V: [sees Simon with a random object] "NOOOOOOO!!! MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNE!!!"
When Simon went through this phase, both the wife and I diligently considered what our actions might be teaching him. So we were careful to avoid rewarding misbehaviour. With Violet, we seem to regularly acquiesce to her high-pitched demands. It's possible that the battle of wills has been decided, and all future parenting will merely be to struggle vainly against it.