We are just days from the 18 month mark and I'm laying here listening to our sweet girl snoring after having asked me to read the same five books over a dozen times each before finally succumbing to sleep and I can't help but reminisce about how much our sweet Baby Bug has changed since her first birthday!
Today was the day that I realized that my baby has officially become a toddler and left babyhood behind. This makes me sad because those bitty baby months went by so fast, but I am so excited about the person our sweet Baby Bug is growing into.
Toddlerhood is full of messes, giggles, defiance, and exploration. And each of these things has challenged me to look at the world through the eyes of my sweet girl and has encouraged me to slow down to see what may be causing her to feel upset.
By far my favorite part of toddlerhood has been watching Baby Bug explore the world around her. From her first major snow to literally climbing to new heights!
We've had so much snow this year and Bug, unlike myself, has loved every moment. She loved crunching the snow piles with her boots, picking up handfuls to take giant bites, and plopping down to sit and dig. She smiles each time she sees snow falling from the sky as she yells "bubbles". But I am so ready for warm air and blowing actual bubbles outside!
Baby Bug also loves climbing, much to the stress of my heart, and I have a running joke that she is going to have a major injury by her second birthday! Nearly everyday she tempts that fate by jumping from all of the surfaces of our home and constantly coming close to requiring a visit to Urgent Care.
If you haven't gathered by now, I have a very driven and independent child with an incredibly strong will. She is determined to do things on her own, gets frustrated when she fails, but then gets up and tries again. She rarely gives up on completeing a task once she has started it and has so much excitement when she accomplishes a task on her own.
Our current battle of the wills is keeping our clothes on while out in public and wearing a diaper while we are home. Baby Bug loves being naked and keeping pants on as we grocery shop or walk around Target is a major challenge for us. My hope is that this is the start of being interested in potty training since she loves sitting on her potty, but I know we still have a ways to go before she is truly ready.
All of this to say that while I am sad to say goodbye to babyhood, I am so excited about our new adventure with a toddler who is constantly doing the most!
