Tiny, newborn babies. What could be more adorable? More romanticized? More instagrammed?
“Don’t grow up!” we say to our babies.
“Always stay a baby!” we write as a caption to their pictures.
Indeed, babies are wonderful. What could be better than a tiny babe curled on your chest, or a sweet, sleeping swaddled bundle?
And yet, I must come clean and admit something to you. Here it goes:
I’m excited that my baby is growing up!
(At least growing up a little bit, that is.)
Let me explain. I remember during my first year of parenting (not long ago) feeling caught in an enormous tension: I didn’t want to rush through the baby phase. I heard everyone say how fast it went, so I put extra pressure on myself trying to remember it. I even became scared for it to end … I was scared that my son’s first birthday would arrive and that all the fun of babyhood would be gone forever.
Yet, at the very same time, I was so tired. I did not feel like myself, I could not fit into regular pants, and I was unsure if I should proceed with this parenting gig if I couldn’t even master the baby phase — which I assumed was the easy part.
Then, my son’s first birthday arrived, and I discovered it wasn’t the end of the good times – not at all! In fact, things were just getting started, because it turns out that I genuinely ADORE having a one-year old!
Every day, at some point during the day, I am surprised at how much easier and even more fun life is on this side of the first year. Certainly, my son is every bit of 19 months. He’s into everything, experimenting with his independence (read: tantrums), and keeps me on my toes. But compared to the newborn phase? Cake.
Every mom loves a different phase most, but today I want to advocate for the one-year-olds among us, and outline a few reasons I am overall enjoying this season. Here’s why — especially if you are a new mom — you should not fear your baby growing up into a one-year old:
- One-year-olds are a super-fun version of babies. This is true especially of younger 1’s. They still give snuggly hugs and use sweet little babbly baby voices. But they can also begin to chase after balls, color pictures, build towers and clap for everything. And they aren’t completely and utterly defying you yet (as I hear is coming in the “threenager” stage)! One-year-olds are nothing more than tiny babies on legs.
- I feel more human. I’m still a human who cannot take a shower longer than 4 minutes without fear that something is going amiss, but hey, I’m showering! I’m sleeping (sometimes)! I’m wearing pants with buttons! I’m not wearing nursing bras! It’s the small things.
- Two words: language development! Language often begins to take off during this phase, and this has been my favorite part of having a one-year old. The most commonly heard phrase out of my son’s mouth right now (after “no” of course) is “what’s that?” He’s so curious about everything, and I love getting to help him name his world.
- I love my child more as I know him better. I look back at pictures of my son as a baby, and it’s like I can see him now, in ways I couldn’t fully then. The expressions he made as a tiny baby are expressions he still makes – and I now know what they mean! The smile he had then is the same one I’ve seen flashed a thousand more times. The challenges we faced with him as a baby seem almost self-evident as I’m getting to know his personality better, and I feel like everything is less mysterious. (He surprises me and changes for sure, but I don’t have to interpret every cry.) In other words, as I know my son more, I find myself loving him even more. I have a h
unch this will be true throughout his life, in every new stage — even in the difficult ones.
So, new mom, don’t fear the first birthday or worry that the joy fades after the baby years end. There’s a busy but lovable one-year-old right around the corner … and I’m sure something great is coming for us after that, too.
What phase of parenting did you like the best?
