Oh, toddlers. There's so much to love about the wonderful, complex little beings that are neither baby nor kid. There are the words beginning to come together into sentences, the slobbery kisses and hugs that turn into snuggles, and the way those little voices sound the first time they say “I love you” without being prompted. There's the sound of little feet stomping across the kitchen and the way they look at you, every minute or so, just to see what you're doing. Along with all the wonderful joys of toddlerhood though come all the dinners strewn across the floor, the red-faced shouts of “do-it-by-self!”, and the tantrums on the floor of the grocery store. As much as we know that these hard parts of toddlerhood are good, that they are discoveries of independence and testing of boundaries, they can also be really dang hard. As those hard parts arise, toddler moms find themselves particularly grateful for many of the modern conveniences of mom life.
Along with all the wonderful joys of toddlerhood, though, come all the dinners strewn across the floor, the red-faced shouts of “do-it-by-self!”, and the tantrums on the floor of the grocery store. As much as we know that these hard parts of toddlerhood are good — that they are discoveries of independence and testing of boundaries — they can also be really dang hard. As those hard parts arise, toddler moms find themselves particularly grateful for many of the modern conveniences of mom life.
Dry shampoo
Good old dry shampoo. I bet you thought that your long nights and showerless days would end as your newborn grew and transitioned to a baby and then to a toddler. Alas, the challenges of having a newborn are different than that of having a toddler, but you still might find yourself tired, un-showered, and in deep need of that can of dry shampoo your ever-so-kind sister gave you when you brought the baby home.
Remember when you were pregnant and spent hours researching how to make your own baby food?
Yeah …
By this point in parenthood, you've probably adjusted your expectations a few times, but it can still feel uber frustrating when you prep that fabulous spaghetti squash dinner for your toddler and it, again, ends up nowhere but the floor. At times like these, toddler moms are beyond grateful for their little one's “always” foods — for my kid, that's grilled cheese, strawberries, and Cheerios.
For toddler parents, there's nothing like a weekend at home with Mom and Dad. Home-cooked meals (cooked by someone else), a fire in the fireplace (made by someone else), and the RARE chance to sleep in while someone else watches your little one. Parents of any age are thankful for extra sleep, but toddler moms count their blessings, thank their lucky stars, and pull the covers up over their head when it actually happens.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Or Curious George or Elmo or Pooh … Toddler moms are thankful for their little one's favorite character for the love, comfort, and giggles they give them. When everything is going wrong in a toddler life — the lunch isn't right, the nap is too late, the socks are just too scratchy — their favorite character, in book, lovey, or TV form, always offers comfort that toddler moms are beyond grateful for.
Hand-me-downs and kid thrift shops
Everyone told you they grow up fast, but what they didn't tell you was to never, ever buy clothes new. I learned this lesson when my 9-pound, 9-pound newborn never got the chance to wear a single item of the newborn layette I bought him. Toddler moms know that their kids grow way too quickly for new clothes and are thankful for all the hand-me-downs that come their way and the kid thrift shops they use to complete their kiddo's wardrobes.
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