Solution

At the monthly mom's club breakfast yesterday three different people throughout the morning told me I looked tired.  I am tired.  Of course, it didn't help that Alex was being a colossal shit head the entire time.  He was running wild around the bakery, he was throwing toys, pulling hair, purposely knocking over people's coffee, crawling under the table and biting people's legs, knocking over empty chairs, throwing napkin dispensers...  You name it, he was finding new and interesting ways to piss me right the hell off.  It didn't end when we got home either.  He found himself on the timeout chair more than he wasn't yesterday.  This behavior is becoming more and more common for him.  He's testing his limits, testing my very last nerves, all the while giggling maniacally.  My friend says it's the age.  That this is what happens at two and a half (and I thought one and a half was a bitch!).  I have to wonder though, if he is sensing that I'm tired and weak and just don't have the energy to keep up with him, therefore, he's taking the opportunity to go crazy.  Maybe a little of both.

Sadly, even though I'm almost done being pregnant, things are not going to get easier for quite a while.  If I think it's hard to keep up with him now, what chance do I have when I'm sleep deprived, breastfeeding, holding a sleeping baby or otherwise unable to jump up and deal with his behavior?

John isn't going to be able to take his planned five weeks off for the baby.  We're hoping he'll still be able to take at least a week, but then he'll have to go back, leaving me alone all day with a newborn and Tyrannosaurus Alex.  We were talking today about putting Alex in daycare part time for a few weeks after the baby is born.  His behavior is noticeably better when he has a chance to play and run and interact with other kids, something he won't be likely to get for the first few weeks after baby brother arrives, I don't foresee my wanting to do many fun activities until we get into a good groove with the new baby.  I think a couple of hours of daycare could really make the difference between happy family life and sending me to the asylum.  So that's what I'll be doing this week, calling around and finding a good daycare program for Alex to try out.  Hopefully I'll find something that will be affordable for us and fun for him.  Since he's never been to a daycare before, I'll probably let him start going in the next couple of weeks, hopefully then I'll get a chance to finally get the house ready for the baby and maybe bank some z's.