Anyone else LOVE the toddler phase? - Page 2

[es1967]

I love, love, love this age. My Ds is 2.5yrs old and is so cute. He is a handful but I'm enjoying every single minute. :

[tankgirl73]

Absolutely love this age! And most people I talk to do say "oh, this is such a fun age, isn't it?" I don't actually hear much about the "terrible twos" in real life conversations.

I just agree with the other posters, it's just so FUN seeing them discover the world and develop their own personalities and opinions. She's turning into a real PERSON now with her own thoughts and desires, and it's not "just" instinct anymore or stimulus-response... there is deliberate thought, decision-making, preferences, ideas...

She loves to do things by herself and watching her emergent independence is so fulfilling. "Caileigh do it self!" Then the cute turn-arounds, like just 5 minutes ago, DH was going to get up out of his easy chair and go upstairs with her. She likes to tug on his hand to "help" him get up. He asked her if she'd come help pull him up and she said "no, daddy do it self!"

I also agree that even the tantrums are interesting, because I am fascinated by brain development, emotional development, etc, so I can be *relatively* dispassionate (and not personally offended lol) and analytical, and it's REALLY neat watching her progress to more abilities in self-control, like sometimes you see her pout and whimper but she says "oh... kay... " and tries to smile and hold it together, as she is starting to understand delayed gratification and knows intellectually that she'll get what she wants in just a few more minutes, but emotionally she's disappointed that she can't have it now, and you can SEE her little brain working at reconciling those differing aspects and TRYING to stay in control!!

She's also giving running commentary on EVERYTHING she does and sees now, and it's just hilarious. "Oh, I'm running with balloons. Oh, I dropped a balloon. Oh, David laughing. I like David. I like balloons. David funny!"

[wishin'&hopin']

I'm bumping because it's nice to have reminders of how awesome toddlers can be!  I love the new independence my little one has and his funny laugh and enthusiasm for life.  The way he marvels over new discoveries and can play with us in new ways!  

Love, love, love this age!  (He's almost 17 months) 

[lellian]

What a great thread and good reminder of the awesome world of the toddler! DD is 19 months, and has been officially toddling since she was 10 months, but now the language has exploded as quickly as her running! There isn't anything she can't say or communicate at 19 months! It blows my mind! I love that she has words for what she wants,  "Hummus, please!" or "toothbrush", and EVERYTHING sounds adorable. Just stinking adorable. We try to video her as much as possible so we can capture her baby voice. So cliches, but they grow up so fast!

[wishin'&hopin']

I LOVE the emerging voice!  It's like getting to know your own heart in a new way!

[hildare]

i love toddlers and am not so hot with newborns and babies. 

it's so fun to watch them figure stuff out, and how they are thinking, all the time.

i love the toddler art, watching them try new things, explore sensations, try new words.

it's neat to watch how their memory works, too. 

[Nicole730]

I love every age so far!  I have a 3.5 and a 1.5 year old.  I love newborns and older babies and toddlers and preschoolers!  I think every age and stage is amazing and wonderful and has so many good things about it.  I think right around 18 months old is a super fun time to watch your child explore.  It's amazing to think of everything that is going through their little heads.

[*bejeweled*]

I absolutely loved the toddler years too. Every year we say "this is the best year". (She's almost 9 now)

[wishin'&hopin']

I adore the sense of humor that emerges!  Today DS (16 months) noticed me sitting on the base of his little slide.  He "snuck" up behind and slid down into me giggling the whole time...we played that game for 1/2 an hour  !  He loves to get us laughing!

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by wholebreath 

I have this attitude for days at a time, while watching DS barrel through life, enjoying every minute of it. And then something will happen and I'll despair at getting through the next few years, and that will last for a few days, and then I'm back to being in awe of him at this stage of development.
So, I guess I'm with you about 45% of the time!

So glad this thread got bumped!  I am exactly the same as this!  But right now we're teething and I'm despairing and feeling like a terrible mother because I'm so worn out.  This thread reminded me of all the fun we have ahead of us, and I really needed that :)

[ACsMom]

I could write poems about how stinkin' cute it is when toddler's run.  They bounce!! 

[Nicole730]

Originally Posted by ACsMom 

I could write poems about how stinkin' cute it is when toddler's run.  They bounce!! 

Or just the fact that they run everywhere!  My mom tried to act like a toddler one day and just run everywhere.  It was hysterical.

[wishin'&hopin']

Random animal noises at random moments!!!!  Love it!

[mommy68]

I've always loved every stage. They have their good and bad points but for the most part, I love ALL the ages! I don't like teenage-dom as much these days, which are very hard at times, but my son is a wonderful kid so that makes it easier. I have a 15 yr old, 9 yr old and 2 year old. =) But my 2 yr old says some of the cutest things these days and it's just getting cuter. She does the sweetest things, is helpful, says thank you, I'm sorry, excuse me, bless you after a sneeze! LOL! I just love it! But I have to say I feel that I have the best of 3 worlds currently!!

[Crystal Chapin]

I really enjoyed the two's, they were not terrible at all! Three has been harder but still amazing!

[forestmushroom]

Toddlers are my absolute favorite age, ever.  I do love babies, and do love children as they grow older and older.  But I "get" toddlers the most, and just love spending my days with 1-3 year-olds. 

[rudhaen]

Yay toddlers!  I have always enjoyed being around them, and now that I have my own little early toddler who is working so hard every day on exploring his world and communicating with me and a zillion other things, it is even more fascinating!  Thanks for this happy reminder thread.

[gitanamama]

Oh man, I wish I still loved the toddler phase! Like you, hollytheteacher, I'm an early childhood ed. teacher and I've always loved the toddler years---until I had one of my own! My son is 16 months old and is such a handful. He's a super active and willful little guy and the temper tantrums and battles of wills are constant and intense. He still only has a few words/signs so I'm hoping that things will get easier as his vocabulary expands and he's able to express himself better. I think we're also still in the toddler transition phase--my son is still very much a baby in many ways and I think that's hard on both of us. He wants more independence but he still wants my undivided attention and he wants to try new skills but gets frustrated easily. I'm hoping this phase will get better for us as we get farther along.