Terrible ALMOST Two's?

Lily is such a good little girl. She's so very sweet. And so easy-going. She goes to sleep without being rocked. She's a pretty good eater. She pretty much never cries. She listens when I say no.

Oh wait. Not those last two. I think we've entered the stage where a toddler feels the necessity to exert independence; and when things don't go her way, she cries. Oh dear. We've been so spoiled up until now, that this stage is kind of hitting me like a shock. What happened to my always happy baby? Now she tells me no when I ask her to do something, and she whines when she doesn't get something she wants. She's pushing boundaries and testing us, as of course is perfectly normal. She's almost two, and that is exactly what she's supposed to be doing right now. I am trying to be patient and consistent with her.

On the other hand, her fun personality is really showing right now, as she learns to talk. She gets so excited about things, and she's learning so much about the world around her. While she certainly tries my patience these days, Lily and I have tons of fun together.