We're Bringing Sassy Back

Forget the "terrible two's." I've said all along two wasn't that bad... it's three that's a real killer. I can handle the tantrums. Those are usually finished within a few minutes. It's the "sassing" I can't stand.
When did my little angels learn to be demon-children? The majority of the time they are all good listeners, but the second "sass" comes into the picture... watch out.
Some of the conversations I've had lately include:

• "I don't want to clean up. I'm too tired."
• "You're not my best friend any more." (generally directed at me when I explain there is no such thing as being too tired to clean up your toys)
• "I don't want to go to bed" (followed by a foot stomp)
• "I'm going to throw this toy across the room" (thanks for the warning)
• "I'm going to cry really loud and wake up all the babies" (I used the "babies" in the neighborhood as a reason for why we need to use inside voices... you'll wake up the babies if you're too loud)

I read a recent parenting article in which the author talked about the "toy fairy." When her son wouldn't clean up, she told him the toy fairy would come when he was asleep and take away his toys for a week. I tried that with my girls and was told "That's OK, mommy. We have a lot of toys so we don't need them all." Sassy.
For those of you who have been there, done that and told me a "magical switch" is flipped and my angels will permanently return at age four... I've started the countdown and I will come find you if that doesn't happen.