I seriously think my two year old has taken up the habit of smoking. Somewhere in the midst of his diapers and wipies, I think he's sequestered a pack of unfiltered Camels and a lighter - for his smoking pleasure. No, I haven't noticed his pudgy little fingers turning a tarry brown color nor has he developed premature wrinkling around his mouth and eyes. But, he has the sound - you know, the husky, sexy smoker's drawl - that low rumbling Marlboro Man of a two year old kind of voice. And the best thing is that he can turn it on and off, mainly when he's torked at a sibling or at mom and dad.

This morning, my little Marlboro Man woke up in a rather grumpy mood and stumbled into our bedroom around the ripe 'ole time of 6AM. He instantly came in demanding his cocoa and was none to happy to hear that neither mom nor dad were interested in getting up and fixing it for him. His sweet little pleas turned into the angry little smoker and Hubby finally gave in just to have some peace and quiet.

When I was finally in alert mode around 9AM (I don't do mornings), he again whipped out the Marlboro Man side and attempted to bully me out of a second cup of cocoa and some three year old ho-ho's he found in the junk drawer. As a mother, I'm impermeable to threats and I'm not usually effected by the ever loving "puppy dog" face (parents, you know what I'm talking about - lip trembling, slight welling of the tears, etc.) but this rumbling growl that emitted from his tiny body was something I was not prepared for. I was aghast at such nastiness and the look in his eyes meant business. So rather than giving in, we negotiated a breakfast deal. He could have a bite of the three year old ho-ho's, but then he have to chase it with a bowl of cereal sans the cocoa. He growled in agreement and used his best Marlboro Man husky voice to say, "Tanks Mamuh."

I'm very happy that he's becoming a more verbal creature but I'm finding that along with the sweetness comes the sourpuss. He has a hot little temper (no idea where he got that from, wink, wink!) and now he's just able to express it better through his sexy smoker's growl. It's really hard not to laugh when you hear it, but I think that just torks him off even more. Ahhh, the joy of the terrible twos...why did it seem so much easier with my older two?