Advice Needed!!!

AJ has been 2 for a month now and let me tell you he is a whole new kid. over the past month I have watch and unbelievable transformation take place and I honestly can't believe the difference!

AJ has more energy now then ever before. He has always been the kid sitting off to the side playing by himself or with one select Friend. He also love spending time in his room playing cars or looking at books. Well friends, those days are over! AJ's new motto in life is GO-GO-GO. His diet hasn't changed, if anything he is eating less, and yet he is chalk full of energy 90% of the time.

His favorite activity is Jumping. (thank-you Mom and Dad for introducing him to Tigger) He climbs up on anything and everything and then proceeds to throw himself off it. No major injuries so far but every time I put him in shorts I'm afraid people are going to think he's abused. He is covered in bruises from shoulder to shin and everyday he replaces the faded ones with brand new patches of blue, Green, and brown.

If he's not climbing and jumping you will find him running, FAST. He loves to run around the couch, up and down the hall, in and out of all the rooms, and even running around the house backwards. This to has caused a few bruises but mostly it just helps him get ride of energy and increases our downstairs neighbours dislike for us.

I would like to say that AJ is still a great kid, he listens well and dose a great job at playing with others or sharing. Although the high energy is totally manageable these next two trait are the ones I am trying to nip in the butt before it is to late.

Since turning two AJ has discovered his voice or maybe I should say lungs. You may remember a shy little boy sitting in Mom's lap quietly observing the world around him. The new AJ is not only observing he is ask questions, "Mom, Doing?" and "Lyndz Doing?" we can go back and forth answering this simple question for 15-20 minutes. If one of us gets to far away he will simply yell it louder and louder until he gets a response. He likes to yell other things like, "Lyndz!" "Dad" "More" or spending it's 4th week at the top of the charts... "NO!"

Probably the most difficult change I have been dealing with is his new found love of throwing and hitting. Although Age is still fairly passive while playing with his friends, you can call him Mr.Aggressive when it come to time with Mom. Not only will he yell "no" at me he will follow it up with a swipe at which ever part of my body happens to be closest to him. If I am to far away to hit he will pick whatever toy is closet and throw it in my general direction.

So today at Winco everything came together in the perfect storm. When we arrived AJ decided he didn't want to come in and would rather wait in the car, unacceptable. I tried to act like shopping would be fun and told him we were getting more mini wheat's, his favorite, but nothing made him want to join us. I finally picked him up and stood him between our truck and the other car where he proceed to have a tantrum. He cried, yelled, and threw himself on the ground while I quietly stood and let him have a minute. Then I got down to his level and explained that we had things to get, he had to come in, and asked him if he wanted to walk or ride in the cart. Screaming, Crying. I picked him up and carried him at arms length (so he couldn't reach me with his kicks) into the store and plopped him in the cart, were we had another chat.

He was calmer but still pouting and crying a bit. The 20 minutes in the store went pretty well, he happied up a bit when he got to put the fruit into the bags and pick out the cans of soup. The tears however returned when he realized that there would be no animal crackers today. Some women may have just got him some but I wanted him to know that when you cry and yell by the car there is no treats, even if I had to walk around with him crying again.

At the till AJ wanted to get down and when I told him he needed to stay in the cart because we were all done he hit my hands. I got down and told him that you don't hit Mommy and that he needed to say sorry. After a 30 second stare down I told him,
"AJ say sorry"
He put his lips together, filled his cheeks with air and with all the energy and volume he could muster he yell "NO!" Accompanied with a kick to my tummy.

I stood right up, slapped his mouth and pushed him to the end of the check out while I paid and ignored him. It wasn't a hard slap but it surprised us both and he sat and cried at the till until he saw a treat go by on the way to bagging. He asked for one, I ignored him, and then he said....
"Mom, Mom AJ sorry. No be Sad." I went over and he gave me a big hug with a few pats on the back. "Mom happy now!, AJ have treat?" There was no treat but he understood and stayed happy after that.

It was so sucky, I have never had anything like that happen before it was totally out of character for him. I think that letting him have a little space when he is upset and then getting on his level and talking to him about it is the best strategy but I am open to any and all suggestions. I don't want to be slapping his mouth, it was all just to much and it was a reaction.

PLEASE HELP!