How quickly it falls apart

Try to start each day with renewed energy to get along, or at least make it until noon without a meltdown, toy time out, spanking, etc. But how quickly it falls apart.

Today. Been up for 1 hour 10 minutes before first real conflict. Here's how it started.

AKA playing with the cord to my laptop. Wrapped it around her leg, pretending it was a horse or something. Couldn't tell for sure.

"Where the computer? Where the computer go? Where the horsey computer go?" Although she sees clearly I am sitting here using the computer.

"The computer is right here. And it is not a horse." (She knows full well it is not a toy for any other than its intended use)

"Yes. It. Is!"

"No, it's not."

This goes back and forth a few times. Then she starts stamping her feet and scowling and making mad grunting sounds.

"Why are you choosing to be bad right now?"

"Because. I. Do!"

I ignore the stamping and grunting and nonsense.

Then a surprising twist.

"When you going to stop being bad, Mommy?"

"I am not the one being bad. You are the one being bad."

"I. Am. Not. A. You.!"

More displays of stamping and scowling.

I decide I'm too tired for this so early, and after only one cup of coffee, so I ignore her. And thankfully, she did not escalate the situation, which typically can result in a major meltdown involving her following me around shrieking and crying, "I. Am. Not. A. You.! I. Am. Not. A. One.!"--as I try to find places to hide like the pantry or the shower, or turn on the vacuum to dull the shrill noise and the hammers in my head.

All this and she doesn't even remember how it started or what she's upset about and I don't know either.