seriously, who are you?

Much has been made (at least in the places I look) about the lie that is the "terrible twos." For all the challenges a parent of a two-year-old faces, the unique and exciting opportunities for rage and punishment afforded by the presence of a three-year-old are unparalleled.

And, holy cats, Kiddo is going at it like it's her job. Which, I guess, it is.

I try to tell myself that all of the not listening and willful disobedience and tantrum-throwing and promise-not-keeping are just by-products of this age. And I have committed myself to not raising my voice every time I'm upset (and not just because some days I would always be yelling) but there are moments when I want to pick her up by her shoulders and scream in her face, "WHAT THE F*** IS WRONG WITH YOU?" It is usually then that I excuse myself and go sit down in another room for a minute before returning to whatever ridiculous standoff we are in the middle of to see if we can wrap it up.

She's not a bad kid. At least I don't think so. We are trying to raise her to be gracious and thoughtful and sometimes she even is. I guess when every night from 6:30 until 10:00 becomes "Fight Over Everything Time" it starts to wear a person down. And by "person" I mean "parent." Apparently Kiddo has endless reserves of disagreeableness. That's my girl.

Then sometimes she will pipe up from the back of the car, "Daddy, I love you so much" and I just have to smile and then brace myself for her teenage years when the previous sentence is followed with "Don't get mad, but …"

And now for some photos of whatever silliness we've been up to of late. Also possible evidence that she isn't as bad as I may have just made her sound. Or at least evidence that we never take pictures of her when she's being a shrieking banshee.

Kicking back on the blanket from pal Trina, reading a book.

Not knowing how to read is not a deterrent to reading. Apparently.

Hitting up what's left of the Seattle Center Fun Forest, and trying to ignore the sad and/or unsavory aspects of the people running the rides.

"I think I just saw that dude coming out of the methadone clinic!"

Visiting the Children's Museum to dabble in civil service.

Not pictured: pretend union negotiations.

Trying out a different job after the letter carrier thing didn't pan out.

This can't happen soon enough, actually.

Brushing up on her computer skills. Possibly just watching a video. Okay, just watching a video. Give us a break, will ya?

Yes, she is wearing mouse ears atop a wig that is on backwards. This might be everything anyone will ever need to know about her.

Whatever this is.

"Tomorrow the finest sheets in the finest room, in the finest hotel in Cairo."

And then we had another round of "emotions" with the camera because we were waiting for Mommy and I needed to kill 10 minutes. After running through the usual faces I asked her for one more and she did this.

I asked, "What's that one?" She answered, "Unicorn Face."

Okay, you can stay.