I LOVE having a toddler.

[candybomiller]

I've been realizing over the past couple of weeks how much more I enjoy Matt now that he's a person whereas before he didn't really have much of a personality. I don't really know how to put into words what I'm feeling, but sometimes it takes my breath away how much I love him and the toddler he's growing into.

Anyone else experiencing this?

[Karenn]

I was just saying the same thing to DH yesterday! He's just so much more fun now! He plays by himself sometimes which I love, but he's also including me in his make believe play and it's so funny! We can share jokes now and the way he's been mimicking everything we do is just cracking me up! I loved the baby stage when he was little and cute, but this is much more fun!

Oh, yes! And I found that I really LOVED the year you are going into. The year DS was 2 was soooooo fun! It's the year that their little imaginations start taking off, and it is the most fun thing to watch them grow in that! You are in for a fun year!

It doesn't actually stop at Year 2. My DD will play games with me and we will make-believe and it's kind of a window into what's going on in her head. That's so different from the smiley (or crying) baby whose face didn't always tell you what they were thinking!

I agree--I love watching Audrey grow into a person. It's just so entertaining! Difficult, but entertaining :)

Just the other day, DH said about Audrey, "she just gets more fabulous every day." I thought it was so sweet.

I have to admit I don't always say that exact sentence all too often about Arielle. :) But I should! Because when I sit back and think about the progress she's made verbally the past 6 months, it's really amazing. She has her own personality now, and that's been really fun to see develop. And as Helen said, it's truly a joy to hear her thoughts and ideas. I get to really see what she's thinking now that she's speaking in full sentences, rather than guessing at her ideas based on one or two words. Just the other day I was watching her set up "school" with her dolls on the couch in utter amazment. She was recreating the Mommy & Me program we'd gone to earlier that day, right down to having the littler dolls sit on the bigger dolls' laps for circle time!

Thanks for bringing this up, because it's made me realize how much I love having my toddler! :)

(Edited for poor spelling)

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
and Daliya Samantha, 10/27/03

EVERY DAY!!!! Each night I go in to check on Ainsleigh before going to sleep and I am always caught up by how much I love this little person. Thankfully, DH humors me each night when I ask, "Do you think everyone else thinks their kid is as funny and loves them as much? Because if so, there's is so much more love in the world than I ever knew!"

I adore this age - every day she learns something new and every day I love her more. Maybe that's why I'm gaining weight - to contain all the love?

Now Sarah, that wouldn't be pregnancy weight, would it? :)

HELEN! I *WISH*. Then I'd have an excuse. But no, not yet. Believe me, you'll know when it is ;).

[Hallie_D]

What a beautiful sentiment! ITA--Elijah is so much *FUN* now--he makes jokes, tells us stories, gives plenty of hugs and kisses... I was saying to DH the other day, "Remember when we thought nothing would be as adorable, or melt our hearts as much as his little gummy grin when he was 3 months old?" And now that he is more of a person (with plenty of teeth!) he melts our hearts and is even more adorable than before!!!