As darling daughter exerts her personality and independence, I ask myself why is she in a hurry to grow up? Obviously, she is growing and wants to explore the environment and world around her. But I'm in no hurry for this stage to pass. Time is flying by and one day soon she will be a teenager, asking for the car keys. In less than four months she will be turning two. She's starting to string two words together. Lately, she has been squawking, wanting out of her stroller. She tries to "help" me fold clothes (not much folding goes on). Saying the word no to her is unacceptable. (However, she has no qualms telling me or dear husband no while flailing her arms to make her point clearer).
Yesterday, we went to a local museum. When I was changing darling daughter, she was putting up a fuss. Sympathetic, I remarked, "Yes, I know that it is hard being 20 months." While my remark may sound cynical, half of me is being truthful. As an adult, it is hard to imagine how big the world around must look like if you are a toddler. Obviously, they must feel frustration and confusion when trying to communicate with adults, especially when they're just learning how to string two words together.
But at the same time, I am being a bit cynical. From my point of view, the life of a toddler looks pretty darn good. And I don't think I'm the only mother in the world who feels like that. While I was changing darling daughter, a mom who I spotted in the cafeteria earlier, was washing her hands at the sink and she overheard my comment. She smiled and said that she has told her husband that she wants to be pushed around in an oversized Chariot and eat snacks that have been prepared by someone else. I laughed and replied that sounded like a great idea.
Watching darling daughter hit the toddler years, I wonder to myself, did I truly appreciate my toddler years? And what would I tell my toddler self now?
Perhaps I would address the following points with my toddler self:
* Sit and relax in the stroller. Don't be in a rush to get out. Soon enough you'll be too big for it. Plus, isn't it nice to have someone push you around?
* The food and snacks Mom makes for you is made with love. Please be respectful and not chuck it on the floor.
* Don't be in a rush to help with household chores such as laundry and dusting. Believe you me, there will be lots of time for that.
* No doubt about it, teething is a pain.
* Naps are good. You may not think so now, but have at least one nap a day. When you are older, you'll be wishing you can find time to nap.
* Vegetables are good for you, even broccoli.
* No is not a bad word. Sometimes it needs to be said.
* Bibs are a proactive way to avoid stains.
* And don't be a hurry to grow up. I realize the world around you is a place that needs to be explored, but soon enough you'll be an adult and dealing with adult issues. Take this time to enjoy your toddlerhood as you'll only be a toddler once in your life. And enjoy the ride, especially the ride in the stroller. One day, you may find yourself pushing one.
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label time. Show all posts
Friday, April 9, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Halfway to three
A random thought popped into my head yesterday: darling daughter is halfway to the age of three. She will be 18 months soon, which is mind boggling when I actually sit down and think about it. It just seems like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital, staring at her in her bassinet, not quite sure what to do next. Then there were the first seven weeks where she didn't sleep through the night and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert became my best friends while I tried to grasp hard onto my remaining sanity.
And after that, it is basically a blur. First time rolling over, first Christmas, first teeth, first solids, first Easter, finally sitting up, babbling, army crawl morphing into an actual proper crawl, first steps, full fledged walking have all happened in the last 18 months. She is officially out of babyhood. She has been for awhile, but this 18 month "milestone" marks the fact that she is a toddler. And a stubborn toddler she is. If she doesn't like something or feels like she is being wronged, she vocally tells us about it. She is now going through a no clothes phase. No sleeves and no pants, please. Those types of phases don't affect babies. These are actions of a toddler.
So if the last 18 months are gone in a flash, I can only assume that the next 18 months will go as quickly or even quicker. And in no time at all, I'll have a three year old on my hands, who in all likelihood be charming, sweet, demanding and mischievous. Mind boggling when I think about it.
And after that, it is basically a blur. First time rolling over, first Christmas, first teeth, first solids, first Easter, finally sitting up, babbling, army crawl morphing into an actual proper crawl, first steps, full fledged walking have all happened in the last 18 months. She is officially out of babyhood. She has been for awhile, but this 18 month "milestone" marks the fact that she is a toddler. And a stubborn toddler she is. If she doesn't like something or feels like she is being wronged, she vocally tells us about it. She is now going through a no clothes phase. No sleeves and no pants, please. Those types of phases don't affect babies. These are actions of a toddler.
So if the last 18 months are gone in a flash, I can only assume that the next 18 months will go as quickly or even quicker. And in no time at all, I'll have a three year old on my hands, who in all likelihood be charming, sweet, demanding and mischievous. Mind boggling when I think about it.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Labour Day memories
Labour Day weekend, which marks the unofficial end of summer, has come and went. So much has changed in the last year. This time last year I had just returned home after an emergency road trip to my family's home outside of the city. At this point last year, darling daughter was a mere four or five weeks old and refused to sleep. It got so bad, that she didn't sleep from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. So desperate for sleep, dear husband and I packed her into her car seat and drove around the suburbs of west Ottawa, hoping the car ride would lull her to sleep. It worked, until we got through the front door. Her little eyes popped opened and I do believe that is when I burst into tears.
We did manage to get her to sleep. Which meant we could sleep, too. I got about five hours of sleep in when my mother phoned to see how it was going. That is when I burst into tears for a second time, blabbering the baby wouldn't sleep, we were sleep deprived and I didn't know what to do. She persuaded me to come home for a couple of days to allow me to sleep while she looked after the baby. Those two nights were I got a half decent sleep were probably the best sleep of my life. I will always be grateful to my mother in letting me get some well needed sleep during the early days of parenthood.
Now, darling daughter is sleeping through the night. She's been sleeping through the night for months now. I am grateful for that, too. It is just amazing how things can change in a year. It makes me think about what other changes I'll be reflecting on when Labour Day rolls around next year.
We did manage to get her to sleep. Which meant we could sleep, too. I got about five hours of sleep in when my mother phoned to see how it was going. That is when I burst into tears for a second time, blabbering the baby wouldn't sleep, we were sleep deprived and I didn't know what to do. She persuaded me to come home for a couple of days to allow me to sleep while she looked after the baby. Those two nights were I got a half decent sleep were probably the best sleep of my life. I will always be grateful to my mother in letting me get some well needed sleep during the early days of parenthood.
Now, darling daughter is sleeping through the night. She's been sleeping through the night for months now. I am grateful for that, too. It is just amazing how things can change in a year. It makes me think about what other changes I'll be reflecting on when Labour Day rolls around next year.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Really?!? Newborn babies are actually that small?
I saw a newborn baby over the weekend. Bundled in her car seat, I stared at her in awe. Babies are actually that small? Can't be, but here I was, staring at a newborn baby who weighed less than nine pounds.
I vaguely remember darling daughter being that small. I know once she weighed less than nine pounds. I do have photographs to prove it. If I delve deep into my memory banks, I can remember changing her tiny diapers (size one) and clothing her in size zero to three month onesies. These days, she is wearing size four diapers and size 18 month onesies.
Meeting that newborn babies brought back a flood of memories. I can tell you exactly what I was doing during the last week of July 2008. I went to the hospital one day because darling daughter hadn't moved within a two hour period and no amount of orange juice I sucked back changed provoked a kick. (Ironically, she did give me a kick as soon as dear husband pulled into the hospital parking lot). That night I watched Die Hard 2 because I couldn't sleep. Less than 30 hours later, my water broke. I soon found myself at the hospital, faced at the reality that I would give birth. I remembered getting the IV inserted into my hand for the induction. (Honestly, I think that hurt more than the actual birth). I have hazy memories when getting the epidural, but I do remember the sweet relief afterwards, and thanking the anesthesiologist profusely. I remember pushing for two hours and falling asleep between contractions. (I'd wake up when it was time to push, telling my labour and delivery nurse and doula, "okay ladies, it is time to push."). I remember the doctor giving us a verbal disclaimer before using the vacuum to get darling daughter out. I also remember the doctor yelling at me "Yes, you can" when I told her I was too tired to push anymore. I remember darling daughter being born and shouting at dear husband to make sure she was okay. I remember trying to get some sleep at the hospital, but not getting any. And I remember introducing darling daughter to my side of the family.
Yes, those memories are still very vivid and real in my memory, however, I can't really recall darling daughter's newborn days with such clarity. I was too sleep deprived and physically tired to enjoy it. Sleep, which eluded me for most of my pregnancy, returned and when I wasn't caring to darling daughter's needs, I wanted to sleep. Looking back at darling daughter's first photos, I can't believe she was that small.
So here I am, one year later, a mother to a one year old. I can't believe how fast time has flown. Apparently the second year flies by even faster. I better prepare myself for the next ride.
I vaguely remember darling daughter being that small. I know once she weighed less than nine pounds. I do have photographs to prove it. If I delve deep into my memory banks, I can remember changing her tiny diapers (size one) and clothing her in size zero to three month onesies. These days, she is wearing size four diapers and size 18 month onesies.
Meeting that newborn babies brought back a flood of memories. I can tell you exactly what I was doing during the last week of July 2008. I went to the hospital one day because darling daughter hadn't moved within a two hour period and no amount of orange juice I sucked back changed provoked a kick. (Ironically, she did give me a kick as soon as dear husband pulled into the hospital parking lot). That night I watched Die Hard 2 because I couldn't sleep. Less than 30 hours later, my water broke. I soon found myself at the hospital, faced at the reality that I would give birth. I remembered getting the IV inserted into my hand for the induction. (Honestly, I think that hurt more than the actual birth). I have hazy memories when getting the epidural, but I do remember the sweet relief afterwards, and thanking the anesthesiologist profusely. I remember pushing for two hours and falling asleep between contractions. (I'd wake up when it was time to push, telling my labour and delivery nurse and doula, "okay ladies, it is time to push."). I remember the doctor giving us a verbal disclaimer before using the vacuum to get darling daughter out. I also remember the doctor yelling at me "Yes, you can" when I told her I was too tired to push anymore. I remember darling daughter being born and shouting at dear husband to make sure she was okay. I remember trying to get some sleep at the hospital, but not getting any. And I remember introducing darling daughter to my side of the family.
Yes, those memories are still very vivid and real in my memory, however, I can't really recall darling daughter's newborn days with such clarity. I was too sleep deprived and physically tired to enjoy it. Sleep, which eluded me for most of my pregnancy, returned and when I wasn't caring to darling daughter's needs, I wanted to sleep. Looking back at darling daughter's first photos, I can't believe she was that small.
So here I am, one year later, a mother to a one year old. I can't believe how fast time has flown. Apparently the second year flies by even faster. I better prepare myself for the next ride.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sorry Madonna, time does not go by so slowly
Tomorrow is Friday. Many in the workforce celebrate the arrival of Friday. For me, it is just another day of the week.
I am slowly learning that motherhood doesn't include weekends, statutory holidays or vacation time when you have a baby. Although weekends do consist of family time for dear husband, darling daughter and myself, Saturday and Sunday just seem like any other day of the week, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, the weeks are flying by. Someone recently told me that when you have a child the days go by so slowly, but the months go by so quickly. I am learning that this statement is very true.
Darling daughter recently turned eight months. One day we brought her home from the hospital, and the next day she is crawling.
The concept of time hit home yesterday when I was talking to my accountant over the phone. We were chatting about children and how fast they grow up. For some reason I thought her kids were eight or 10 years old. Nope. They are 16 and 13 and the eldest has her driver's licence.
I enjoy every day I have with darling daughter. These days are a gift. But it seems like I can't fully enjoy my gift because she is growing up so quickly. One of these days she is going to pull herself up and then start to walk. It will be bittersweet seeing my darling daughter take her first steps. It will be bittersweet seeing my daughter go off to kindergarten. It will be bittersweet to watch darling daughter graduate high school and then head off to university. It will be bittersweet to see her get married and have children. Although it seems like those milestones are an eternity away, I now realize they aren't. These milestones will come and go in a blink of an eye. All I can do, as a parent, is enjoy the ride.
I am slowly learning that motherhood doesn't include weekends, statutory holidays or vacation time when you have a baby. Although weekends do consist of family time for dear husband, darling daughter and myself, Saturday and Sunday just seem like any other day of the week, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, the weeks are flying by. Someone recently told me that when you have a child the days go by so slowly, but the months go by so quickly. I am learning that this statement is very true.
Darling daughter recently turned eight months. One day we brought her home from the hospital, and the next day she is crawling.
The concept of time hit home yesterday when I was talking to my accountant over the phone. We were chatting about children and how fast they grow up. For some reason I thought her kids were eight or 10 years old. Nope. They are 16 and 13 and the eldest has her driver's licence.
I enjoy every day I have with darling daughter. These days are a gift. But it seems like I can't fully enjoy my gift because she is growing up so quickly. One of these days she is going to pull herself up and then start to walk. It will be bittersweet seeing my darling daughter take her first steps. It will be bittersweet seeing my daughter go off to kindergarten. It will be bittersweet to watch darling daughter graduate high school and then head off to university. It will be bittersweet to see her get married and have children. Although it seems like those milestones are an eternity away, I now realize they aren't. These milestones will come and go in a blink of an eye. All I can do, as a parent, is enjoy the ride.
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