Did you have a least favourite stage in parenting your kids?

[ParisPaulette]

Oh Cheetarah, I remember that stage. And yes, I once hid a box of chocolates under my bed in the far corner--a place my then oldest and only child at the time would not go since he had claustrophobia. And yet, I went into the bathroom after leaving him on the bed, came out ten minutes later and he had found the entire box and gobbled it all down. Ever see a toddler drunk on sugar? Not to mention the chocolate stains that never came out of the comforter after that.

 

Sigh, good times. But it does get better, I promise. And I still remember the battle cry "I do it! I do it!" when trying to get them out the door. But at the same time there will be those moments when they figure out how to do something and they're so proud of it. In those moments they are so beautiful it takes your breath away and it's all worth it.

 

When someone talks about unconditional love I never think of a man, I think of my kids. I will never love anyone as fiercely or as deeply as I love them and I am open about that. My husband says it's one of the things he loves most about me.

 

ForestofDreams, you are in for a journey that is equal parts wonder and angst, your life with never be the same and you will be oh so grateful for that. Cheers!

[Seraphim]

Oh yeah I remember the battle cry ,"I do it ,I do it"... Or if he wanted out of the car or out of the house he would say ,let my out." No that's not a typo he would actually say," let my out"

 

I get to relive the baby days through you guys and I love it.

[Cheetarah]

Oh my god, all those chocolates! My son gets wild when he gets sweet, sugary treats. My mom will give him like a mousse parfait with fruits and cake pieces in it, and then wonder why he is literally hopping from room to room ripping off his pajamas like a wrestler. I don't know if you just forget...She claims I was a quiet, reserved toddler and she's "never seen anything like this" as though it is one of the seven wonders of the world. I'm like mom, he's not an anomaly, we just had different personalities. AND you just gave him cake, fruit and mousse.

 

My aunt watched him for me this Sunday while I went into work. They had lots of fun but my aunt said "Toddlers are for the young. I love this boy but I am glad I get to give him back to you."

 

I'm really enjoying seeing how my mom interacts with him and how it is quite different from how she interacted with me. We were butting heads at first with my parenting style, now she accepts and respects it. I guess we are forever their babies and they think they know best, lol. Anyhow, she told me it's different with grandbabies. The time you get to spend with them is without the pressure you have as a parent. You're older, you have more appreciation for the little moments, not even so much the appreciation but the awareness to capture them as such, right then in that moment. Where when you're in the parent position, stuff is so hectic they get lost on you.

[Cheetarah]

As far as the "awe" -as he gets older watch for those moments of awe that will surprise you -I mean his awe at something you thought he knew about but either he didn't or he understood it in an entirely different way. Not just big things like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly but what seems like minutae but is not when he shows his wonder or tells you what he thought it meant. I think the other great stage which should keep repeating is a parenting stage where you laugh silently at 99.9% of well-intentioned but unsolicited input from other parents about how to parent (just like what I wrote here!).

 

 

My mom still laughs about the time we were on the express way, and there was a weigh station for trucks. Of course, I didn't know that's what it was. I thought we all had to get out, be individually weighed and they would make a decision on whether we were too chunky and had to go back home instead of continuing onto the tollway. I always felt such relief when I saw that it was closed. LOL.

[Batya33]

My mom still laughs about the time we were on the express way, and there was a weigh station for trucks. Of course, I didn't know that's what it was. I thought we all had to get out, be individually weighed and they would make a decision on whether we were too chunky and had to go back home instead of continuing onto the tollway. I always felt such relief when I saw that it was closed. LOL.

 

That is spectacularly classic.

[ParisPaulette]

My mom still laughs about the time we were on the express way, and there was a weigh station for trucks. Of course, I didn't know that's what it was. I thought we all had to get out, be individually weighed and they would make a decision on whether we were too chunky and had to go back home instead of continuing onto the tollway. I always felt such relief when I saw that it was closed. LOL.

 

I love it! My middle child once thought that the toll booth was for me to pay to keep them in the car instead of leaving them there. He actually asked me not to pay the guy once, so he could stay there and not have to talk to me since he was mad at me at the time. He was four. His older brother didn't help dispel the myth either.

 

Just savor every moment, because that day when they walk out the door away from you and into the world will come all too fast. And you'll be both proud and happy and heartbroken and lost. So yes, take it all in now and love them for all they're worth.