I smile at W as he happily takes each crayon out of his box and plops them into another container.
He spends hours (Okay, maybe only about 10 minutes) meticulously lining up the crayons only to scatter them all over the room in a disorganized mess.
At almost a year and a half, my toddler is at a really great age.
He understands me… for the most part.
I understand him… for the most part.
I can trust him to play without sticking everything and anything in his mouth… for the most part.
He even sleeps through the night…I better have not just jinxed myself.
I just get a kick out of the little person he has become in such a short amount of time. I look at him again. He has moved on to sticking the crayons into various crevices in furniture around our living room. I’m sure to find those crayons months later.
The whole scene makes me want to pull a Zach Morris and freeze time. I don’t want to find the crayons months later when he is two or three.
To be honest, two and three year olds scare me a little.
I spent an entire summer during my college years shuffling back and forth between a room of twelve 2 year olds and even more 3 year olds.
2 and 3 year olds are seriously crazy.
I talk with other moms of older toddlers and it makes me even more scared. Words like time out, temper tantrums and attitude give me the shivers. Mommy in Sports even wrote an article on threenagers. I don’t think I ever want to find out if my baby earns the title of “threenager” or not.
Can’t I just keep my almost one and a half year old just as he is for the rest of his life?
How could there ever be a scowl on that sweet face? I can’t even imagine his feet stomping across the floor dramatically making his point known.
It’s a bittersweet feeling when you realize your son is approaching a new stage in his life.
It’s the calm before the storm.
Once you get a routine down and start feeling sure of yourself, you are thrown for a loop and faced with a whole new set of challenges. It happened when W left the newborn stage. It happened when he became a toddler. It will happen again when he becomes an older toddler.
And, as much as I love this stage in W’s life, I know I will love the next stage just as much, even if it’s in a different way.
He may start to throw temper tantrums, but that also means he will be able to better express himself.
He may start to have more attitude, but that also means that he is using his brain to get what he wants.
He may start getting out of his bed or be scared of the dark, but that just means he is becoming more aware of his surroundings.
Ultimately, we can’t slow down time. It’s going to keep marching on. The only thing left to do is to hold on, take each moment as it comes and learn as you go.
All of a sudden I hear the distinctive sound of a tiny foot firmly plant itself on the ground followed by the squawk of a very strange bird.
I glanced over at W.
There he is… beet-red in the face, stomping his feet, yelling at the sofa for presumably stealing his purple crayon.
I shake my head and laugh.
We may be approaching the next stage sooner than I thought.
What stage are you in with your child? Let me know in the comment section below!
Aww, love it! A year and a half is my FAVORITE age. And yes, 2 and 3 are challenging, but you’re right, they definitely have their benefits too. It’s the same with any age. There are some things that I love about having a 6, a 4, and a 2 year old and there are some things I can’t stand about having a 6, a 4, and a 2 year old. I guess we just need to meet each stage as it comes, enjoy the ups, and hang on tight for the downs.
Lauren recently posted…Five Ways to Save Money on Groceries
You are so right, Lauren! I love how you phrased it!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
Aw, I’m dreading the tantrums too! I’m hoping Jane skips those… I feel a little the same way about myself. There were some things I loved about being in high school, and college, and married without kids and some things I didn’t. I guess that’s what keeps it all interesting! We wouldn’t appreciate the really great things without the more annoying things.
I love this post! You’re a good writer (and you were so cute when you were little and made Hershey kisses your peoples!) time flies!
Awwww, I love this! I have my threenager giving me a glimpse of what my one and a half year old could be like soon. Lucky for me, he has always had a happier, calmer disposition than her. Here’s hoping he stays that way.
Tarynn Playle recently posted…My SITS Day
My little guy is pretty calm and easy going too. Maybe he’ll miss all those crazy stages? haha
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
Ahhhh my 2 1/2 year old princess and her tantrums -_- today I had to deal with her crying and screaming because she couldn’t carry all of her little people at the same time -_- my hubby happened to call me while this was going down and he was all like what’s wrong with Haylie… He didn’t believe that the fit he heard in the background was all about not being able to carry all her people…. The terrible 2’s can leave anytime now…. PLEASE lol!!!!
Aw, Courtney. I might be crying too if I couldn’t carry all the little people at once! haha. It’s sadly a little funny the little things that get our babies so upset. Good luck with the rest of the 2’s!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
My son is 21 months so I get glimpses of both…1 minute he is the sweetest cutest laughingist little boy ever and the next, he is screaming because he didn’t get his way. It is so hard to be completely present in the moment, but it will go by so fast and we’ll miss these stages, even the crazy ones. Enjoy momma!
Bree Courtney recently posted…Delicious Chewy Salted Caramel Candy
Thanks, Bree! I know. It all goes by so fast!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
I got teary eyed reading this. Try to enjoy as much of every day as you can. It goes so quickly. Luckily, we can look back and laugh at every stage of life!
I love the ages between one and three. I did not find the twos so terrible. I chose to be amused by the drama.
shelah@mosswoodconnections.com recently posted…Upcycled Nuts and Bolts Heart Craft
That’s a smart idea- to be amused by the drama.
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
This is apropos considering I am dealing with the trauma of threenagers! Yes you are in a sweet spot. Enjoy and soak it all in…soon things will change…or maybe they won’t. Every child is different!
Kristen recently posted…Chocolate Berry Bliss Smoothie
Thanks, Kristen! haha, You certainly have an adorable threenager though!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
A Zach Morris reference? You just made my night.
Oh, and two’s aren’t as bad as people say. It’s the threenager that you need to be terrified of…
Amanda @ Queenofthelandoftwigsnberries recently posted…Embrace the Snow
haha, You have to throw a little Saved by the Bell every now and then! Yes, I keep hearing about these threenagers! Hopefully it’ll bypass my son.
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
Right now Hudson is maturing so quickly, he is 6 and a half and I have noticed some big changes in him as far as how well he is behaving in the past few weeks. He is my best bud. Mila is getting pa bit sycho these days, but she is still my little shadow… and there is nothing that mommy cant make better with her. (and I KNOW that wont be lasting long!)
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It’s really amazing how you can actually see them changing right before your eyes. It really happens so fast! Thanks for sharing!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm
Can I share something personal Tricia? I stopped reading at the part where W sticks crayons in crevices to say JUST LIKE HIS MOMMY!
When you were a little one, and your mom brought you for a visit, you put pretzel ridd in my hot roller holder, and tiny bits of rolled paper in the little space where the light switch on a lamp is.
Thanks for that cute memory!
haha, Yes, he may look exactly like his daddy, but he does share some personality traits with his mommy! Thanks for sharing that!
Tricia the Good Mama recently posted…Cold Weather Running Gear that’ll Keep you Warm