Her tiny legs wavered under her, unsure, unsteady.

Still chubby with baby rolls, she crouched frozen and uncertain, not ready to trust her balance and our encouraging claps.

I felt my heart flutter as I remember the newborn baby she once was. Her smell, her sweet snuggles, her soft cheeks.

It seemed like only yesterday.

Now, her wide grin and excited giggles filled the room with determination as we cheered her on.

Encouraged her to take her first step.

I watched her fierce desire to conquer her goal and walk into her independence.

She put one tiny foot in front of the other as we squealed with delight, clapped our hands, and then scooped her up.

Filling our arms and our hearts with pride.

Our baby was growing up.

Growing up with determination, independence, and a sense of accomplishment.

Our hearts were full.

—————————————–

Walking now mastered, she finds furniture to climb and builds towers to use as ladders.

Her toddler brain tells her that she must be demanding and stubborn and throw herself down in protest often.

Floor treats are preferred over cooked food.

Mimicking and picking up words comes easily and she fully engages in conversation with stuffed animals and books.

Bedtime is now a game.

It’s more interesting to fight necessary sleep and stay awake.

I will never sleep again.

But?

This toddler bit is pretty awesome.

What stage in life are your children, whether they be babies or grown? What do you find “awesome” about the stage they are in? 

This is an original post to World Moms Blog by Multitasking Mumma of Canada.  You can find her on her blog, Multitasking Mumma, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo credit to Stephanie Chapman.  This photo has a creative commons attribution license.Â