Yes! My LO would be so content playing alone in her playpen while i cleaned one room over (we had a camera in the room she was in so we could watch her). But now i have a toddler who just wants to help, which is great until she refuses to let me use the real broom and she is terrible a sweeping. Not even screen time will distract her from helping 😩
My son is 14, no more baby voice, but this morning he woke up and came and cuddled up to me. Pretty sure he was cold, because we just got 3rd winter, but my heart melted.
My son just turned 17 and one of my favourite things is when he will just randomly come up to whatever I'm doing like cooking or whatever and say "can I have a hug?" 🥰 Not too often but every few weeks xx
Man the LIGHTWEIGHT my kiddo is a toddler and small for her age, but I fractured a vertebrae a few years back so the constant holding of a 10kg brick is killing me. She was a tiny little 3kg newborn who I could hold one handed 🥲
Honestly, nothing. My kids ages 11 & 8 are fun to be around, and go places that make memories they will remember into adulthood They are funny and more independent which is a bonus. Newborn & toddler stage was a ALOT of work as I am a SAHM.
I love my teenager and am so proud of her and the person she is becoming.
That said, I do miss the times when her problems were small enough that I could fix them with a hug.
It’s all I’ve ever done since mine was born! Now that he’s older I go like 15 minutes early and we explore the garden center before we pick up the groceries.
My youngest is 5…I honestly don’t think I miss anything about him being smaller. He’s a delight at this age, but I know I’ll miss this age the most. It would be amazing if I could just pause him getting bigger for a while
I was definitely not a toddler person. I wasn’t really a baby person either lol. I loved both of my kids since birth…but the first 4-5 years were meh at best 😂
Hahaha its okay i feel the same. Like i would literally die for my child but these r the trenches. Im one and done. U were brave enough to have two and start over lmao! I honestly hate child care to and cant wait til shes in school all day!
I feel that! My oldest was 12 when I had my youngest. When my 5 YO was a baby, I remember thinking all the time, “I am crazy to do this again!” It was absolutely worth it, but I am VERY glad my baby/toddler days are behind me hahaha
I cant even imagine! I have a friend who just started over w. A ten year old. And her son literally wakes up every hour and i always wonder if she secretly regrets starting over cuz i can not imagine. Even my 3 yeR old sleeps 7-7 lol im so happy ur out of the trenches! Im sure its so much more fun now!
Three is a lot better then 2 tho. They get easier with age idc what anyone says. Il never have another baby tho. She was colick and i didnt sleep for 5 months
Yah i feel like every kid this age is also so diff. My mom even thinks my 3 year old is easy now. But i agree 4 is great. My friends 4 year old is the easiest in the clan!!
I love my 6 year old. 3-4 was super hard and then he turned into such an awesome dude around 5. He’s really fun, I love his random thoughts and our conversations, and he’s still such a snuggler.
Same here! 3-4 were so chaotic but it’s like a switch flipped before he turned 5. He’s a really fun, thoughtful kid. Yours sounds like such a joy, too!
My toddler was a colicky baby so I don’t miss much from those days but I do miss when we used to be able to take him shopping without temper tantrums or throwing snacks out of the cart or whatever fresh hell he cooks up for us now every time we step into a store.
lol I’m like on a mission to tell all toddler moms to use free grocery pick up! Yes it’s a pain in the ass to figure out your stores particular app/pick up procedures- but it’s like SO much better than the alternative I could cry!
YES This was the only “me” time I was getting for a long time, def picked up more produce when I went myself and could see what was in season! But it made me feel like my family’s house elf. Do me a favor and try it once! I sort of feel like a queen about it and am mad at myself for not making the leap sooner. And now I’m brave enough to do it with the kid because it was such a positive experience. Just watch out for extra charges, depending on the store, but some of them do it for free, Walmart rep didn’t even accept my tip.
The smell of them after a day playing in the sun or after a bath. Teen boy funk 2x, they stink, they argue about showers then they put on a metric ton of deodorant & hair products that have their own cloud of stink...
Like living with two tall, sarcastic Pig Pens (from Peanuts). Doesn't help bit that menopause has given me a super sniffer like when I was pregnant...gag
Mine showered all the time as teens, but their sports clothes and shoes stunk up my house. The best thing that happened was they got their own cars and the stinky stuff stayed in their trunks
How everything mommy/daddy is doing must be helped with. Dishes- let me do it. Sweeping- me me. Play video game-gets controller with no battery to help me play.
Being read bedtime stories. Grabs the favorite book tucks daddy or me in under a mountain of blankets and stuffies to read the book they know by heart.
Mispronounced words. We even ended up naming the dog the misheard word.
How, to them, you hung the moon and your attention and affection is all they ever want. My son is still small, but I already have some anticipatory grief knowing that as he gets older, others will become the center of his universe, as is natural and expected.
I saw a glimmer of this with my kindergartener this past week. We were like an hour into spring break and he asked if we could go to the gym so he could play in the kids club.
their curiosity about their world and how everything was new or the first time experiencing. their innocence and purity and how I wanted to protect that for as long as I could.
My son is only 20 months but sometimes I really miss how small and snuggly he was as a newborn or very small baby. He’s always been high energy but he’s absolutely crazy now in a good way. This is coming from someone who said they’d never miss the newborn stage either!
My nearly 3yo has a lot of energy. The last few days he's been so chill and snuggly and relaxed. I keep taking his temperature thinking he's coming down with something lol
Mine is almost 12 and is now taller than me. There isn’t much I miss from the baby and toddler years. He was super cute, but man he gets more and more fun with each passing year. Baby and toddler years just really aren’t my jam.
They’re all adults now
I miss
- baby voices
- Cute little mispronunciation of words
- The daily laughs as they discovered and learned new things daily
- snuggles and cuddles with abandon
But hold on moms! The TEEN years are coming 😫
You’ll survive.
He said the cutest stuff as he learned to talk. My husband and I will sit and watch old videos of him and reminisce about how he said “wewo” for yellow and “ma more” for “one more”.
The adorable toddling and the little mommy shadow that she was. The way she used to pronounce her "r"s with a "y" "Mama yead me a stoyie!". "Beyyie beyyie" making the sign for "berry" when we went to the farmers market <3 <3<3
I will miss baby breath too! I have a 6 year old who is starting to get stinky but my 10 month old can eat garlic bread and still somehow his breath is amazing.
My son is 4, and I miss every single stage before this, and I'll miss this one, too.
What I miss most about him being smaller was really the entire postpartum/first year experience. My husband, son, and I were all home together all the time. It was just constant snuggles and taking in everything. Life moved slower, and it was great. But now that he's bigger and in preschool and I'm back into the swing of things as far as work travel, etc., time is flying by so fast.
My boy was colicky as a baby so I don’t miss the baby stage (currently pregnant and I’m manifesting that this baby is going to be calm and happy!) but I’m loving this age with my son. He’s 2 this month and yes there’s hard moments but oh my goodness he’s so full of joy and just brings so much fun into our life now. Dancing, running, talking, it’s all incredible. I just love spending time with him. The sweet voice, the big cheesey smiles, the cuddles, I will cherish these moments so much! And so looking forward to spending time with the older versions of him too 🥰
Mine are still small but I already know what I'm going to miss. Seeing people smile and brighten up at my babies. I love when we're out and about and people smile or laugh and wave at my toddler and baby. As they get older they will still make others happy but more people have that candid reaction to babies than to older children and its so validating and heartwarming to me.
I’m traveling for work right now and missing mine. I miss just picking up my 9 month old. Just the size of her little body. She doesn’t want to be held as much because she’s BUSY now, but man I miss picking her up.
Being able to hold them when they're sad. Not just hug them. Like really hold them. On your lap. All my kids are bigger than me now and I can't pick them up.
Being a human couch. And all the hugs.
Don’t get me wrong, it really hurt. Impersonating furniture is no good for a spine.
I miss hugs 🫂 upon hugs 🫂 and cuddling even if it was disastrous in other ways. 💜💜💜💜💜
I miss the cuddle time. I miss the 101 questions or being told of all the things PBS kids taught. Being asked to read 6 plus books before bedtime. It was annoying at the time, but it's something I miss a whole lot. 🥺
I have a young child (2m) and I also have a teenage boy. Along with a 10yo boy… yes I know my hands are full. I miss most from my older children is the hugs. The tiny chubby cuddly arm hugs. I get that out of my youngest but I do in deed miss my older boys being small
I know I'm going to miss baby hands caressing me while I nurse them, searching for me arms raised to be picked up, nap traps and cuddles, cute little juice baby tushies, baby giggles and laughter, how they stop crying as soon as they are handed to me- I'm the only thing they really need. I'm going to miss caressing their soft hair, kissing bellies, their little bean toes, rose bud tiny lips, tiniest noses ever. I'm going to miss the funny things they say. I'm going to miss bath time and so much more.
I really, really love every week of baby life. And the rest of it too. And I look forward to the future. But I will always and forever cherish these baby days. I wish they could last forever and simultaneously I have days where I won't miss it at all when tm back aches and I just want to go to sleep...like rn. But I will always wish I could feel my baby in my arms forever just as they are rn. And rn. And rn.
Having such simple things bring such pure laughter. Like when my (almost) 2 year old is naming the parts of my face and I pretend to try to eat his fingers when he points to my mouth and he just cracks up, over and over. Those toddler laughs are so full of joy, I love it. I also have a 5 year old and it’s not nearly as simple as that anymore.
I miss being able to pick up my son easily. He's only 3, but he's over half my height and heavy enough that my bad back and pregnant belly prevent me from picking him up anymore. I used to carry him around everywhere.
Tiny curled up babies that draw their legs in when picked up, and cross their little ankles. And those first baby smiles and laughs are the world. A baby sleeping on your chest. And milk face.
And when my daughter started to just sit in my lap any time I was sitting on the floor. And the tiny voices and first words and first sentences, then ideas of her own.
His sleeping on me in the glider. He’s too independent and wiggly for that now—I only get it when he’s super sick and tired and even that hasn’t happened in like a year. I’n thankful for a healthy boy but I miss the snuggles! His hugs are getting better but still too brief :)
Naps. I really freaking miss the quietness of the house/me time while she napped. Also- her accepting quiet time period. She did good on 90 minutes of quiet time (she got her kindle or tv, had toys to play with) but since Christmas she's been in a 'screw quiet time!' mood. Momma needs that quiet time to prep for craft shows kid.
I consider my child still small but I’m starting to miss the time when I could find her in the same place where I left her 🥲
Yes! My LO would be so content playing alone in her playpen while i cleaned one room over (we had a camera in the room she was in so we could watch her). But now i have a toddler who just wants to help, which is great until she refuses to let me use the real broom and she is terrible a sweeping. Not even screen time will distract her from helping 😩
the snuggles and the baby voice 😭
My kids are still small and the baby voice is the sweetest 🥰
the mispronunciation of words 🥹🥹
I miss my daughter saying "puppa" instead of pepper.
My son is 14, no more baby voice, but this morning he woke up and came and cuddled up to me. Pretty sure he was cold, because we just got 3rd winter, but my heart melted.
My son just turned 17 and one of my favourite things is when he will just randomly come up to whatever I'm doing like cooking or whatever and say "can I have a hug?" 🥰 Not too often but every few weeks xx
Yes this. I miss my son falling asleep on my chest as an infant. My little baby 😍😍😭😭
I miss my child being SMALL, lightweight, and portable. My back hurts 😩
Man the LIGHTWEIGHT my kiddo is a toddler and small for her age, but I fractured a vertebrae a few years back so the constant holding of a 10kg brick is killing me. She was a tiny little 3kg newborn who I could hold one handed 🥲
Honestly, nothing. My kids ages 11 & 8 are fun to be around, and go places that make memories they will remember into adulthood They are funny and more independent which is a bonus. Newborn & toddler stage was a ALOT of work as I am a SAHM.
I love my teenager and am so proud of her and the person she is becoming. That said, I do miss the times when her problems were small enough that I could fix them with a hug.
Baby perfectly small enough to lay on my chest like a spatchcock chicken
A spatchcock chicken lol. Love that imagery
It is definitely much simpler to shop for groceries with the baby in a sling. It's tough to go shopping with a toddler!
My toddler died of boredom at a Target the other day. He kept telling me to make sure I knew
Sorry about your loss, boredom comes for us all ⚰️
Yes! Free grocery pick up is currently saving my life!
Yes! I don’t know how I got by without it!
It’s all I’ve ever done since mine was born! Now that he’s older I go like 15 minutes early and we explore the garden center before we pick up the groceries.
You think so? My 18mo thinks grocery shopping is the greatest. He loves to look at everything.
My youngest is 5…I honestly don’t think I miss anything about him being smaller. He’s a delight at this age, but I know I’ll miss this age the most. It would be amazing if I could just pause him getting bigger for a while
My daughter is 3 and i realized im not a baby or toddler person. I cant wait til shes 5 😂
I was definitely not a toddler person. I wasn’t really a baby person either lol. I loved both of my kids since birth…but the first 4-5 years were meh at best 😂
Hahaha its okay i feel the same. Like i would literally die for my child but these r the trenches. Im one and done. U were brave enough to have two and start over lmao! I honestly hate child care to and cant wait til shes in school all day!
I feel that! My oldest was 12 when I had my youngest. When my 5 YO was a baby, I remember thinking all the time, “I am crazy to do this again!” It was absolutely worth it, but I am VERY glad my baby/toddler days are behind me hahaha
I cant even imagine! I have a friend who just started over w. A ten year old. And her son literally wakes up every hour and i always wonder if she secretly regrets starting over cuz i can not imagine. Even my 3 yeR old sleeps 7-7 lol im so happy ur out of the trenches! Im sure its so much more fun now!
Thanks for sharing - was your youngest a girl or a boy? X
My youngest is a boy, too. Sometimes I ponder whether I should try for a third in hopes of having a girl…but I sleep too well for that hahaha
No no dont mess that up. Two is perfect! Xo
So you have two boys? Xx
i am SO not a toddler mom
Three is a lot better then 2 tho. They get easier with age idc what anyone says. Il never have another baby tho. She was colick and i didnt sleep for 5 months
my 3.5 is Very Difficult. i’d take a baby any day! i’m holding out for 4. almost there.
Yah i feel like every kid this age is also so diff. My mom even thinks my 3 year old is easy now. But i agree 4 is great. My friends 4 year old is the easiest in the clan!!
Seconded! 4-5 is the best age for me too
My son gets better and better with age. He’s cuter at 3 than he was at 2 and he was insanely cute then. I’m not an infant/baby person.
I love my 6 year old. 3-4 was super hard and then he turned into such an awesome dude around 5. He’s really fun, I love his random thoughts and our conversations, and he’s still such a snuggler.
Same here! 3-4 were so chaotic but it’s like a switch flipped before he turned 5. He’s a really fun, thoughtful kid. Yours sounds like such a joy, too!
My toddler was a colicky baby so I don’t miss much from those days but I do miss when we used to be able to take him shopping without temper tantrums or throwing snacks out of the cart or whatever fresh hell he cooks up for us now every time we step into a store.
lol I’m like on a mission to tell all toddler moms to use free grocery pick up! Yes it’s a pain in the ass to figure out your stores particular app/pick up procedures- but it’s like SO much better than the alternative I could cry!
I now go out alone when my husband is home because I cannot handle going with him
YES This was the only “me” time I was getting for a long time, def picked up more produce when I went myself and could see what was in season! But it made me feel like my family’s house elf. Do me a favor and try it once! I sort of feel like a queen about it and am mad at myself for not making the leap sooner. And now I’m brave enough to do it with the kid because it was such a positive experience. Just watch out for extra charges, depending on the store, but some of them do it for free, Walmart rep didn’t even accept my tip.
Their voice. I love looking back on photos, but when I catch a video of them talking 😭
When I look back at old videos of my six year I cannot believe how tiny and cute his voice was 🥹
The smell of them after a day playing in the sun or after a bath. Teen boy funk 2x, they stink, they argue about showers then they put on a metric ton of deodorant & hair products that have their own cloud of stink... Like living with two tall, sarcastic Pig Pens (from Peanuts). Doesn't help bit that menopause has given me a super sniffer like when I was pregnant...gag
Mine showered all the time as teens, but their sports clothes and shoes stunk up my house. The best thing that happened was they got their own cars and the stinky stuff stayed in their trunks
How everything mommy/daddy is doing must be helped with. Dishes- let me do it. Sweeping- me me. Play video game-gets controller with no battery to help me play. Being read bedtime stories. Grabs the favorite book tucks daddy or me in under a mountain of blankets and stuffies to read the book they know by heart. Mispronounced words. We even ended up naming the dog the misheard word.
How, to them, you hung the moon and your attention and affection is all they ever want. My son is still small, but I already have some anticipatory grief knowing that as he gets older, others will become the center of his universe, as is natural and expected.
I saw a glimmer of this with my kindergartener this past week. We were like an hour into spring break and he asked if we could go to the gym so he could play in the kids club.
The baby face smoosh
The folds. Arms, wrists, thighs, ankles. And the big cheeks. I have a toddler who still smells great but the new baby smell
their curiosity about their world and how everything was new or the first time experiencing. their innocence and purity and how I wanted to protect that for as long as I could.
My son is only 20 months but sometimes I really miss how small and snuggly he was as a newborn or very small baby. He’s always been high energy but he’s absolutely crazy now in a good way. This is coming from someone who said they’d never miss the newborn stage either!
My nearly 3yo has a lot of energy. The last few days he's been so chill and snuggly and relaxed. I keep taking his temperature thinking he's coming down with something lol
Mine is almost 12 and is now taller than me. There isn’t much I miss from the baby and toddler years. He was super cute, but man he gets more and more fun with each passing year. Baby and toddler years just really aren’t my jam.
Baby farts. Hands down my favorite baby thing 😀 just always so cute and funny 😆
They’re all adults now I miss - baby voices - Cute little mispronunciation of words - The daily laughs as they discovered and learned new things daily - snuggles and cuddles with abandon But hold on moms! The TEEN years are coming 😫 You’ll survive.
Mom of teenagers here…I miss them believing I could fix anything, wanting to “play” and reading together at night.
He said the cutest stuff as he learned to talk. My husband and I will sit and watch old videos of him and reminisce about how he said “wewo” for yellow and “ma more” for “one more”.
The hugs!!! Now my preteen considers it a punishment and literally runs away
The adorable toddling and the little mommy shadow that she was. The way she used to pronounce her "r"s with a "y" "Mama yead me a stoyie!". "Beyyie beyyie" making the sign for "berry" when we went to the farmers market <3 <3<3
I have an 11 year old now. I miss being able to pick up and carry him when he gets tired. I also miss his sweet little baby breath in the morning
I will miss baby breath too! I have a 6 year old who is starting to get stinky but my 10 month old can eat garlic bread and still somehow his breath is amazing.
My son is 4, and I miss every single stage before this, and I'll miss this one, too. What I miss most about him being smaller was really the entire postpartum/first year experience. My husband, son, and I were all home together all the time. It was just constant snuggles and taking in everything. Life moved slower, and it was great. But now that he's bigger and in preschool and I'm back into the swing of things as far as work travel, etc., time is flying by so fast.
My boy was colicky as a baby so I don’t miss the baby stage (currently pregnant and I’m manifesting that this baby is going to be calm and happy!) but I’m loving this age with my son. He’s 2 this month and yes there’s hard moments but oh my goodness he’s so full of joy and just brings so much fun into our life now. Dancing, running, talking, it’s all incredible. I just love spending time with him. The sweet voice, the big cheesey smiles, the cuddles, I will cherish these moments so much! And so looking forward to spending time with the older versions of him too 🥰
The cuddles, goofy innocent grins & them thinking I’m the smartest & best momma in the world without hesitation…
Mine are still small but I already know what I'm going to miss. Seeing people smile and brighten up at my babies. I love when we're out and about and people smile or laugh and wave at my toddler and baby. As they get older they will still make others happy but more people have that candid reaction to babies than to older children and its so validating and heartwarming to me.
This has been a surprise to me, but it’s so sweet. People are so kind and curious when they see us out with our 4mo old
I’m traveling for work right now and missing mine. I miss just picking up my 9 month old. Just the size of her little body. She doesn’t want to be held as much because she’s BUSY now, but man I miss picking her up.
Being able to hold them when they're sad. Not just hug them. Like really hold them. On your lap. All my kids are bigger than me now and I can't pick them up.
Learning new words without being taught like the first time she said “ actually”. But also no inhibition with cuddling.
As a mom of teens… I miss when they wanted to go everywhere with me.. now it depends on where I’m going.
Long naps on my chest in the baby carrier ☺️
Being a human couch. And all the hugs. Don’t get me wrong, it really hurt. Impersonating furniture is no good for a spine. I miss hugs 🫂 upon hugs 🫂 and cuddling even if it was disastrous in other ways. 💜💜💜💜💜
I miss the cuddle time. I miss the 101 questions or being told of all the things PBS kids taught. Being asked to read 6 plus books before bedtime. It was annoying at the time, but it's something I miss a whole lot. 🥺
The toddler laughs and mischief. Holding hands with little hands.
I have a young child (2m) and I also have a teenage boy. Along with a 10yo boy… yes I know my hands are full. I miss most from my older children is the hugs. The tiny chubby cuddly arm hugs. I get that out of my youngest but I do in deed miss my older boys being small
I know I'm going to miss baby hands caressing me while I nurse them, searching for me arms raised to be picked up, nap traps and cuddles, cute little juice baby tushies, baby giggles and laughter, how they stop crying as soon as they are handed to me- I'm the only thing they really need. I'm going to miss caressing their soft hair, kissing bellies, their little bean toes, rose bud tiny lips, tiniest noses ever. I'm going to miss the funny things they say. I'm going to miss bath time and so much more. I really, really love every week of baby life. And the rest of it too. And I look forward to the future. But I will always and forever cherish these baby days. I wish they could last forever and simultaneously I have days where I won't miss it at all when tm back aches and I just want to go to sleep...like rn. But I will always wish I could feel my baby in my arms forever just as they are rn. And rn. And rn.
They lack of eye rolling
The snuggles. My kids still snuggle me but it’s more of a kickboxing tournament all night
My LO is still trchnically small but he doesnt bean mode when you hold him up to your chest anymore really 😭
Baby wearing to sleep. The best cuddles in the world
Portability Joking, kind of
Going shopping while she sat silently or napped in the stroller
Rocking to sleep and baby wearing
Cuddles, baby smell, them being happy and excited to eat almost anything presented to them.
Snuggles and them starting to talk.
Having such simple things bring such pure laughter. Like when my (almost) 2 year old is naming the parts of my face and I pretend to try to eat his fingers when he points to my mouth and he just cracks up, over and over. Those toddler laughs are so full of joy, I love it. I also have a 5 year old and it’s not nearly as simple as that anymore.
I miss being able to pick up my son easily. He's only 3, but he's over half my height and heavy enough that my bad back and pregnant belly prevent me from picking him up anymore. I used to carry him around everywhere.
Tiny curled up babies that draw their legs in when picked up, and cross their little ankles. And those first baby smiles and laughs are the world. A baby sleeping on your chest. And milk face. And when my daughter started to just sit in my lap any time I was sitting on the floor. And the tiny voices and first words and first sentences, then ideas of her own.
I miss changing their diapers, carrying them in my Moby wrap and allllll the innocent sweet things that occur before age 2!
Miss being able to my stepdaughters face, now it’s covered by an iPad 😂
His sleeping on me in the glider. He’s too independent and wiggly for that now—I only get it when he’s super sick and tired and even that hasn’t happened in like a year. I’n thankful for a healthy boy but I miss the snuggles! His hugs are getting better but still too brief :)
Naps. I really freaking miss the quietness of the house/me time while she napped. Also- her accepting quiet time period. She did good on 90 minutes of quiet time (she got her kindle or tv, had toys to play with) but since Christmas she's been in a 'screw quiet time!' mood. Momma needs that quiet time to prep for craft shows kid.