I can't take all the whining!

So, Ethan has hit an age where it seems his only form of communication and his answer to EVERYTHING is whining, screaming, yelling and then innevitably, crying.  Chris and I are at our wits end!  In fact, a timeline for today's insanity.

Getting out of the car after lunch.

Mommy: Ethan, I'm gonna tickle you.
Ethan: NOOOOOOOOOOOO. Whine, whine.
Mommy:  I'm just playing, Ethan.
Ethan:  *scream*
Daddy:  Let me get you out of your carseat, buddy.
Ethan:  Flailing and screaming

Once we finally got in the house.

Mommy:  Ethan, I'm going to put your teddy bears on your pillow so they're ready for naptime while you take off your coat and shoes and put them away.
Ethan:  NO!  *Screaming*
Mommy:  They're on your pillow.  I just need you to get your shoes and coat off.
Ethan:  *More screaming*

I guess I should be content that this time didn't include the typical sit down and scream and pound my fists on the floor temper tantrum that seems to be a part of our daily life these days.  I've heard, "Meet the need and the tantrums will stop."  I'm not sure I believe all of that.  Today was a totally family oriented day.  We all got up and ate breakfast.  Left for the gym at 8:30am.  Dropped the kids off in the gym daycare for 35 min while Mommy and Daddy got their sweat on.  Then we took everyone out of daycare and we all went swimming together for an hour.  We got showered and dressed and took them out for a special lunch since we don't go out to eat very often these days. 

I'm not going to be all dramatic about it and say I feel like I'm failing as a mom.  I know that kids have to go through this whiny phase where they aren't very good at communicating and this causes tantrums, but... that isn't making it any easier to deal with.  I've already made it through this once and we're all still alive to talk about it.  Or not.  I don't even remember Eva going through this.  It must have been so painful that I just blocked that memory:)  And I know that Kori is going to go through it and I'm gonna have to step up and be the bigger person again.  But do you know what I want to do in the midst of one of Ethan's screaming, I'm not gonna listen to you, throw myself on the floor, tantrums, THROW MY OWN MOMMY SIZE TANTRUM CAUSE I JUST WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH!!!!  Well, I feel a little bit better now.  Off to do some real housework now that all the kiddos are napping and Daddy is playing his man game(Black Ops, LAME!)