Sour Patch Mornings: Life with a Moody Toddler

"Mom, I'm mad at you!"
"Why, MJ?"
"Because you didn’t let me feed the dogs!"
"You were asleep… if you were awake, why didn’t you get up and help?"
"Don’t tell me stories!"

That’s how we kicked off our Friday—moody toddler edition. Some mornings feel like an emotional marathon. MJ wakes up full of feelings—cranky one minute, needy the next, then irritated, and before I know it, he's wrapping his arms around me saying, “I love you, Mommy.”

It’s whiplash… but it’s also love. Parenting him sometimes feels like being in a mini, dramatic relationship. One where I constantly have to remind myself: he’s not giving me a hard time. He’s having a hard time. And I'm here to guide him through it.

My toddler spent all of Memorial Day weekend calling me like I was his personal assistant. The sass? Unmatched. The energy? Endless. The patience? Questionable.
Let’s just say this holiday was a sneak peek into summer break… and I’m already in survival mode.