Being a mom is one of the most rewarding and most challenging roles I've ever taken on in my life. There's the exhiliration when your baby crawls for the first time, the warm, melt-your-heart, I've-never-been-this-happy goodness when he comes over just to kiss you, and the deep, abiding contentment when watching him sleep. On the other hand, there's the extreme exhaustion, the lugging of all kinds of crap just to go to the grocery store, and the OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO IMPLODE IF YOU DON'T STOP SCREAMING moments. Yeah, those are fun.

But one thing that I have recently discovered that is probably blatantly obvious to most people with a brain - mothering a toddler is very different from mothering an infant. Babies don't move - duh - so they will just lay there while you do just about anything. Before Henry became mobile, I could exercise, balance the checkbook, do the laundry, and he would watch me contently. It was like I had my own personal little fan club. (Okay, I realize he had nothing better to do, but doesn't your own personal little fan club sound nice?) Toddlers move - duh - so now I am lucky if I can brush my teeth by 3pm. If having a baby stretches you, then having a toddler pulls your limbs right out of their sockets. But don't be fooled - as exhausting as it is, I am always there, right by his side. And when he reaches for me to hold him, I jump at the chance - disjointed limbs and all.

Here's a shot of my own personal little fan club on this date last year. Aaaahh, those were the days.

0 comments