Don’t get me wrong, it was very rewarding gazing in to a newborn baby’s eyes knowing I’d produced him. Any time he smiled, my heart filled with warmth … and then my blissful moment was soon cut short by the sound of a little toot – oh it was gas, not a smile!
The first few months were a real struggle as I felt this was going to be my life forever. Changing, feeding and battling with a sleep fighter forever. Noone told me thats what I was signing up for. When the heck were all the fluffy fun moments going to come?! It felt pretty lonely.
Now that Arjun is 15 months old, I can safely say, I much prefer toddlerhood to babyhood and here’s why …
1) FOOD!: We can now share our food 🙂 We both have the same love for food which often means I have a little food thief on my case whenever its meal times – hey it helps with portion control!
2) New Found Independence: As he’s now fully mobile, he helps himself to snacks and fruit, he’ll grab a cushion and lay his head down if he wants a kip and he even tries to put his own socks on! Only a matter of time before he’ll be making his own lunches (and mine!).
3) Communication: I feel like I “get him” more so there’s a lot less tears but not necessarily a lot less drama! Oh and the smiles are ACTUAL smiles! The sound of his over the top laugh melts my heart. We laugh loud and uncontrollably together with our heads tipped back and our eyes glistening as we enjoy a moment giggling over the siliest things.
4) Interactive: It’s so much more fun as he’s a lot more interactive and engaging now. I always found it difficult translating new born baby babble! He’s a little chatterbox now although he only knows a few words he manages to have a full blown conversation with most! He’s very animated and seems to know what he’s on about most of the time (even if no one else does), that’s what matters right?!
5) Free Entertainment: He’s absolutely hilarious now that this huge personality is bursting out of this tiny little body. He never fails to entertain me – be it his latest dance moves, his important business phone calls or his quirky antics like trying on our shoes to name a few!
6) Packing: There’s so much less to pack when out and about! It now weighs 3/4 of a tonne as opposed to a whole tonne!
7) Routine: or lack of it. I feel like we know what we’re doing a bit more now.
8) Bond: I struggled a little as a new mummy due to PND, I feel closer than ever to Arj now. I can predict his next move pretty well! I feel like I have that “mummy instinct” that everyone harped on about before I had him.
9) He’s Walking!: For some reason this makes everything so much more fun! Going to the park now means he’s free to choose what he wants to use next, it means he can play basketball (albeit with his breakfast sausage!), he can pet the animals at the farm … the list is endless! It’s just another way for his personality to manifest as he has more freedom of choice.
10) Full of Surprises: Ok I know two points ago I said I could pretty much predict his every move, but he STILL manages to surprise us on a daily basis be it saying a new word, a little more independence like using a spoon or doing the actions to a nursery rhyme – it’s so rewarding!
I’m really enjoying toddlerhood although it comes with its own challenges!
What’s been your favourite time?
x
This is such a cute post! And as Khadija is only a month younger than Arjun, I can relate to a lot of it. In fact, I remember when she was born, all I could think was “I can’t wait till she’s awake more” and “I can’t wait to hear what her voice is going to sound like… what her personality will be like!” All of the stages are wonderful, but toddlerhood is particularly special 🙂
This is so true! I feel the same way with my 11month old! There is something so special about them having the ability to come over and raise their little arms up to ask to be picked up and you know that they want cuddles! Melts me every time!
Ah I agree! It’s so cute isn’t it?!x
I couldn’t agree more! Toddlerhood, for all its frustrating moments, wins hands down over babyhood! Thanks for hosting #BabyBrainMonday xx
Couldn’t agree more – cemented by the presence of a not yet communicative baby! I realise now how much easier I find the toddler phase… x MMT #babybrainmonday
Wow he looks like he’s into everything! Very good knife and fork skills! Piglet is the same age and it is so much more fun now-although there are a lot more tantrums too!
How funny – our posts are about very similar things! Mine is just in list form 🙂 Thank you for hosting – I am a newbie and enjoying linking up with other bloggers
Funnily enough, I was always someone who loved kids from toddler onwards but found babies boring. Maybe due to the fact that I therefore did not have expectations built up too high, I actually really loved the baby stage, and it is sad that it is gone. But you do see their little characters more once they can choose where they want to go and communicate with you, so I probably still do slightly prefer toddlerhood, but it is a closer run thing than I would have expected before having kids! #babybrainmonday
I agree!xx
They become their own little people, little crazies!xx
Oh my goodness, I can totally relate to the tantrums! Each day becomes a little bit harder at the moment! x
😀 welcome to blogging!x
Can relate to the “babies boring” part! Didn’t help with my PND. I found it quite difficult at times xx
I did really love the newborn stage but so far I have to agree with you. Toddlerhood is so much fun – putting aside the tantrums and suddenly having an opinion on everything ha! I think it’s just amazing to watch your little person grow and become their own person x #babybrainmondays
NO DIAPERS! I had three babies in three diapers all at once. I won’t even dare watch any of my friends kids who are still in diapers. The next diapers I plan to change are my grandchildren’s lol. My kids are all growing so fast that I feel like I am missing out on so much because there are 3 who are all 3 years apart and in different stages. Thank you for hosting #BabyBrainMonday 💋Trista
I’ve definitely become aware of how much easier I find having older kids. I think for me the breakthrough wasn’t toddlerhood. It was when they could actually start carrying bags so I wasn’t a damned packhorse carrying every bit of crap we needed to go anywhere. This was particularly helpful the first summer I realised they could carry the multitude of things we take to the beach. But for sure as you say now he can sort of communicate what he wants, it’s a bonus. I think all the stages are lovely in their own way. And just when you get used to one, poof! It changes. I’m visiting from the #BabyBrainMemoir linky ha haaaa.
I think I am with you on the toddler over baby months, but now Monkey is officially a preschooler at 3.5 I love this age too! A friend told me once that each stage is better than the last, only time will tell. Saying that I am looking forward to having a squishy newborn again, wishing for a sleeper!! Thanks for hosting #babybrainmondays