Reasons my two year old might be freaking out...

My sweet little Hayden is two.  Suddenly he's developed his own thoughts, feelings, and ideas and, as his parent, I never know when this new part of his personality will choose to shine through.  After reading 46 Reasons My Three Year Old Might be Freaking out, as well as Why does my kid Freak out, I decided to follow Hayden's behaviors to see what's going on in his little world.  It's been really interesting! 

Why my 2 year old might be freaking out:

1. There's crust on his sandwich
2. There's bread on his sandwich
3. He only got half a sandwich
4. His pajama pant leg has ridden up an inch and is no longer covering his ankle
5. There are only three blankets covering him up for nap time
6. He wants to explore the bath tub
7. He didn't want to explore the bath tub by taking a bath
8. He wanted to flush the toilet, but sitting on it was NOT acceptable
9. I'm not letting him hold Taylor for the 80th time in a row
10. (While grocery shopping) He wanted to hold the cheese while riding in the cart, NOT THE FREAKING BUTTER!
11. There's something sticky on his finger
12. He sneezed and the sound scared him
13. Instead of coming from a can, his mandarin orange today was fresh with a peel
14. His mean mom wouldn't let him touch the baby's eye...or her eye for the matter
15. The snow is sticking to the bottoms of his shoes

Ok, there's just a few reasons.  Believe me, I could go on!  I'm glad I read the article, Why does my kid freak out, because it really tries to explain the toddler rationale for these crazy tantrums they throw!  The most classic tantrum I can think of happened to me just last night.  Out shopping, I let Hayden hold an eye shadow I was thinking of purchasing.  After thinking about all of the eye shadow I have at home, I decided I didn't need it.  But did Hayden want to give it back so that I could replace it on the shelf?  No.  He threw it.  And the shadow shattered inside the packaging.  

*Awesome*  

Here's the article's answer to this situation:

[. . .] it’s not only normal, but reasonable. [. . .] toddlers’ irrational behaviors are a totally understandable reflection of their inner turmoil and frustrations. In sum, their world is turning upside down and they don’t yet have the skills to handle it. Tantrums don’t mean your kid is a spoiled brat or needs therapy; tantrums mean he is normal.

The toddler life is not actually as cushy as it seems. Sure, I’d like 12 hours of sleep a night and all my meals prepared for me, thanks. But 2-year-olds are also going through a hellish personal crisis: They have just learned how to walk and use tools, so they really want to explore the world; at the same time, they are terrified of what that world contains and constantly fearful that their parents, whom they love and trust to a terrifying degree, will suddenly abandon them. Oh, and those same parents? They’re suddenly barking “no” all the time, seemingly just for fun. What the hell?

It’s no coincidence that kids start having tantrums around the time that parents start enforcing rules. When you say no, sweetie, you can’t have that butcher knife, your 20-month-old has no idea that you are depriving her of this awesomely shiny contraption for her own safety. “Since it’s the parent, whom they rely on for everything, who is taking it away, it’s perceived as a withdrawal of love, essentially.

So Hayden's response to my "orders" are completely rational.  Huh....