Life with a toddler

This is my third time round being a Mum to a toddler and it really does bring such joyful moments to experience.  Don’t get me wrong, it can also bring tough times especially when they hit the ‘terrible twos!’  This time round, I thought I would document the highs and lows of life with a toddler.  It really is a lot of fun but mixed in with a whole set of different styled tantrums, sleep regression and fussy eating meal times, we really do need to share that Mama love and offer support and advice!

But on a more light heartened note, here is my experience of life with a toddler! (as I am sitting writing this, Baby K is climbing all over me and tapping the keyboard…obvs)

Look…he’s sitting still!!

Life with a toddler is…..

AMAZING…

• To see them develop so quickly over a short space of time.
• To listen to new words come out of their little mouths is priceless.

PROUD…

• When they do something for the first time like sleep through the night, try new foods or just simply sit still…
• For us, it’s been a proud moment when Baby K had his first every haircut as a toddler.  SOB
• To see them play independently after all day of wanting Mama!

FUNNY…

• To listen to them copy words or phases you say (not of the swear kind of course…or maybe!!)  Baby K now shouts ‘Breakfast Mr B! Breakfast Miss W!”  Its so funny and cute!
• When you hear them laugh.  You know that kind of belly laugh then do when you chase or tickle them.
• When you see them groovy on down to music – I have to say Baby K has snake hips!!

MESS…

• My mama always says that toys are clean mess.  Until your toddler gets hold of a felt tip pen!!!
• There really is moments of more food on the floor than on their plate.  And I seem to think that my toddler forgets to use his spoon and fork!
• Toys toys and more toys.  And toddler toys always seem to be oversized. Like ‘surely there is no more room in our house but we are still going to buy it them for Christmas and worry about it later’ HUGENESS!

HARD WORK…

• The exhausting of when your toddler goes through sleep regression and you wish for your life back prior to this horrible (and I have to say upsetting!) phase! ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz
• The stress when they DO NOT want to eat what they LOVED last month.  And instead you find they just push the plate towards you shouting NO!!
• Them moments of tantrums, whether at home or in public and you don’t have a clue what to do.  Haul them over your shoulder, leave them and walk away, or just tantrum along with them…I’ve done all three

AFFECTIONATE…

• When they hug you and really mean it…
• When they look into your eyes and whisper “mama’ – even at 5am in the morning is SO heart warming (and exhausting!)
• When they lean in for a kiss and you get a smacker on the lips…snot included

ENERGENTIC

• Ever tried to chase (whilst wearing heels) after a small person,  pegging it across a restaurant…no me neither!
• The constant running up and down the starts to get a nappy, wipes, fresh clothes due to the spilt lunch, their favourite book…and so on
• This is about the right time when a toddler learns the work ‘Again’.  And Baby K sure LOVES to use it.  So whether that be chasing him across the room or simply throwing him in the air, no way can it be done just the once!!  I should have arms of steel!

GUILTY…

• We can feel guilty when we look back over the day and feel like we haven’t played with them enough or haven’t shown them enough attention due to the mountain of washing and ironing
• When we sneak off to eat our slab of chocolate in piece and don’t share it with them as A) you know it will just end in tears due to the removal of the said chocolate slab and B) you simply don’t want to share it! (Oh and the chocolate MESS!!!!!)
• Of having ‘you time’.  Why do we feel guilty over this!?

What else can we add to this ever growing list?!

Thanks for reading xxx