Things 'they' weren't lying about...

Your toddler will absolutely test her boundaries.
Brigid will run up to something that she knows she's not supposed to touch, and she will lay just one finger on whatever it is.  And then she'll look back at me and smile and dare me to yell at her.

She will also put something (a toy, a bracelet, a light remote) into her mouth, while watching me out of the corner of her eye, waiting for me to make the move to take whatever it is away from her. When she sees me coming? She'll take it out of her mouth and smile innocently.

Tell her not to smile? She will smile. Tell her not to stand on the bed? She will stand on the bed. Tell her to stand up so you can get her out of the crib? She will lay back down.

She is a snot.

Your toddler will mimic everything she sees.  Except what you actually want her to mimic, of course.
Brigid makes the drumming motions along with Will.I.Am on Sesame Street.

She will sit and cross her legs when she sees you sit and cross your legs.

When you are feeding her, and you blow on a bite to cool it down, she will blow on every single bite of food for the rest of the meal.  And she will expect you to do the same.

If you feed her with a fork? She wants to feed herself with the fork. And she can, too, as of this week.  Sure, meals may take a little longer, since it requires two hands and total concentration for her to actually stab a piece of food with the kiddie forks she uses, but she is so ridiculously proud of herself that it's hard to say no.

However, sitting quietly during dinner? Not throwing food to the dogs when she gets full? That's something she doesn't get, no matter how many times we've demonstrated that one for her.

Toddlers have opinions.
Brigid does not like when drawers are left open.  She will go back and close every single one of them.

She also hates things being left on the floor.  She will put my laundry in the hamper and my trash in the trash can.

If you are sitting on the couch, and she wants you to read to her, she will take you by the hand and lead you to her reading corner and hand you a book.  And you best believe you will start reading to her, because it's the cutest thing ever to be led around by a bossy toddler.

We'll see if I still feel that way in a couple of months, I guess...