Two-year-old troubles. . . . . Wait! she’s only one.

Camilla is quickly approaching the age of two, and boy can we tell. She is so much fun to be around and says all kinds of funny things, but lately has been giving us a run for our money. She is gaining in independence and it is a little scary.

Case in point: The other day she went into the laundry room and saw what she thought was apple juice up high on the shelf. She decided that perhaps she should try to reach it. A few minutes later I heard a scream. “Mom!!!!” (I have to say that I really do not like my name yelled. It means someone hurt me, Camilla made a really big mess and I will leave it for you to clean or something happened to the house, like someone kicked a hole in the wall. All of those things scare me; it means I have to take action right away.) Anyway, I ran downstairs and I first smelled a very bad smell. What could it be? Apparently Camilla found a way on top of the washing machine and then climbed shelves that were on the wall above the machine. Somehow she got a glass bottle of apple cider vinegar down to the concrete floor without breaking it. She had then removed the plastic safety seal, opened the bottle and attempted to pour some into a cup. She only finally screamed for mom because the cup kept tipping over while she was trying to pour it. At least I didn't have to clean up broken glass or call poison control.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Yesterday, she climbed the pantry closet pulled down a half gallon jug of honey thinking it was also apple juice and tried to pour it. After a few minutes she appeared in my room with it saying that the apple juice was stuck. She can open doors, climb just about anything, unzip any zipper she comes across and is always searching for a new place to explore.

Tantrums, they are starting now. Here is the progression of one of her tantrums.


The other night we decided to go out as a family to Café Rio. We thought she was getting old enough that maybe we could take her out to a place like Café Rio. She was so good in the long line that I was feeling very hopeful, but as we sat to eat she decided she was more interested in exploring the restaurant than eating. Alayna ate fast so she could walk Camilla around. Alayna would bring her back and Camilla would give Alayna a little wave and then take off as fast as her little legs would go.

Speaking of running away she has been doing that at church, too. Curtis is in the bishopric and every Sunday she runs as fast as she can up to Curtis. Her speed is improving because today we were sitting in the overflow in the back and Camilla managed to make it clear up to the stairs at the front before Alayna caught her, walking Alayna’s fastest. The guy behind me said “She is fast, look at her go.”

We still think she is one of the best things that have happened to us. She sure makes life interesting and constantly gives us things to laugh about.