Toddler? I have a toddler now? Where did my baby go? It hit me about a month ago when I did not receive my monthly, "your baby is this old" update online - but much to my astonishment, I received (automatically may I add), "your toddler is this old" update. Who told them they could call my baby a toddler? And who told my "lilypie" ticker on my blog that it could automatically say, "your toddler is 1 year, 1 month, 3 weeks, and 6 days old"? Don't I, his mother, get a say in any of this? Just because he eats on his own, drinks out of his own cup, runs everywhere, climbs on furniture, says at least 25 plus words (seriously), shows independence, has definite preferences, attempts to put on his own shoes, wears 24 month clothing and shoes, watches his "show" sitting on the couch rather than in my arms, pushes cars and trucks on the floor (who showed him how to do that anyway?), drops things in the toilet, asks to brush his teeth by looking at me and saying, "brush teeth"? (told yall he was talking), kicks a ball, spins in a circle, and jumps? All of this makes him a toddler now?
Well, I suppose it does, and I must come to grips with the fact that I no longer have an infant, but a toddler. And may I just add, that I am having more fun with my toddler than I ever dreamed possible. He is my little buddy now. He holds my hand when we walk, but will still look up at me with his arms raised and said, "hold" - and I will gladly take any opportunity to reach down and pick up his little 28 lb body. I will also take any opportunity I can to rock him, even though he must curl up in my lap now because he is so long. I will also savor every second that he, in his own little way, shows me that he wants me to come sit down on the floor and play with him. He's only 14 months - not even - and I can't imagine how much more fun we are going to have together in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead as he continues to grow and develop from a toddler to a young boy, to a teenager, to a young adult, to a man. WOW - how's that for perspective? The child I am rocking will one day be a man, and I pray a man of God.
Elijah Brooks, you may be considered a toddler now by the American Academy of Pediatrics, but you will always be my baby.
3 comments:
That is such a sweet post, Erin. I know how you feel. My "baby" is almost 2, but she will always always be my baby girl. And don't get me started on my 6 month old boy. Emotionally, I am not ready to go there yet. If Bennett is a baby girl, then he is an infant. :-)
Yes.
Just tonight, Susanna was sitting in my lap and I remembered when I could hold her entire body in my lap. My big girl has arms and legs sprawling everywhere now.
And she helped me clean the kitchen and load the dishwasher. So, it is fun as they grow up, too. ;)
so well written Erin. Who can tell me you are a grown woman? Just because you are married, have a child, are in your early 30's, and have a college and post-graduate degree, why does that disqualify you from being "Daddy's little girl?" I love you. The pictures of Elijah Brooks are great. He is SO MUCH FUN!
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