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Thursday, October 9, 2014

10 ways you can tell your baby is now a toddler

Clearly there are some pretty obvious ways to tell your baby is a toddler, like the fact that they've turned one and the definition of a toddler is a child aged 1-3. There's also the obvious developmental steps like moving from crawling to walking, saying more words and needing more stimulating toys and activities to help sharpen their fine and gross motor skills. This list isn't about those things. This is all the other ways you can tell your baby has completed the metamorphoses into toddlerhood. The things people don't really talk about, but all mums of toddlers will relate to, or if you're still in the baby stage - the things you have to look forward to.


10 ways to tell your baby is now a toddler



10 WAYS TO TELL YOUR BABY IS NOW A TODDLER



Your house is permanently messy
I went through a phase of picking up all the toys throughout the day to try and keep things tidy. It only lasted a few days before I realised it was futile. It's doable when your baby is immobile and they can't move toys around, but once they're toddlers they have this innate desire to come along behind you and destroy everything you've just tidied up. If your house looks like a toy shop has vomited all over the floor then its safe to say you have a toddler. My advice, learn to embrace the mess.

You can't go to the toilet by yourself
Gone are the days of being able to sneak off to the toilet. From now on you'll have a little toilet buddy whether you like it or not. Mine likes to bring me stuff like balls to throw and books to read. If she's in a particularly destructive mood she'll try to pull all the toilet paper off the roll or take one of the spare toilet rolls off for a walk somewhere and hide it. Yep toilet trips will never be a peaceful event again (even if you lock them out because then they just bang on the door saying "mum, mum, mum, mum" on repeat until you're finished).

They want to do everything themselves
You will most definitely have a little miss or mister independent on your hands once they graduate from baby to toddler. Even if they don't quite have all the skills yet, they'll still want to do everything themselves. They are now big girls and boys after all and they'll want to prove this to you as often as possible. Cue the rebellious independent streak.

They want to eat your food
Regardless of whether they wanted to eat theirs. Yours is always more interesting because they know they're not meant to have it. Even if you're both eating the same food, what's on your plate will still be more appealing. Every. Single. Time. End of story.

Everything is theirs
Younger babies are generally happy to share toys and play well with others, but once they're toddlers the what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine phase hits. Suddenly everything is mine, whether it is or not. Similarly everything someone else has is suddenly more attractive - toys, books and food are the usual suspects. FYI they don't need to be able to say the word mine to express this either, she gets her point across quite well with hair pulling, smacking and pushing. Trying to stop this behaviour usually leads onto my next point.

They throw tantrums
Its amazing how quickly kids master the art of throwing a tantrum. Babies generally only cry when they need something, but toddlers, they like to throw tantrums for a million different reasons. The tiniest thing can set off a toddler. Our latest one here is my glasses aren't on my head anymore, after she's just pulled them off. We also have my dinner is gone (after she's eaten it all), my toy fell on the floor (after she threw it there) and how dare you stop me from playing in the cats food on a daily basis. Then there's the normal screaming in the car tantrums and tired but unwilling to sleep tantrums.

Most tasks become a battle
Meal times, getting dressed, getting in the car, getting in the pram, going to bed (I could go on) usually turn into world war 3. Be prepared for a battle. Approach these situations with an arsenal of weapons up your sleeve. My weapons of mass distraction include toys, the tv and singing random songs.

Change time becomes a game of chasey
Nappy changes are a combination of a battle, a tantrum and a game; but mostly a game. It's a game of how many times do I have to roll over before I can get away from mum. Then, how quickly can I run away from mum while laughing hysterically. Then, how far can I run away from mum while I have no pants on (which is usually accompanied by the theme song "come back here so I can put your nappy on, you can't run around nakey"). The second chorus is "you need to put pants on before you do a wee on the mat". Yes, she has done a wee on the mat. Don't laugh, I'm sure your toddler will too at some point.

They bite {hard}
Depending when your baby starts teething this may start before they're technically a toddler, but they become much better at it when they're toddlers. I used to get occasionally bitten on my finger if it strayed too close to her mouth {or if I was dumb enough to let her put it in her mouth}. Nowadays though she deliberately bites me on my toes, knees and shoulders, daily. Apparently the bonier parts are better for biting because it gives them something to get a really good latch onto. It's pretty much like being attacked by a piranha, but one that you {for reasons that may momentarily escape you} love.

They have no fear
This is possibly the scariest trait a toddler has, at least for us parents. No matter how many times they hurt themselves you can be sure they'll still do the same thing again without a second thought. Its terrifying seeing your toddler about to launch themselves face first off the bed or the couch with reckless abandon. Of course I stop her before she goes over the edge, but then she tries to go straight back to the edge as fast as she can. If I survive the toddler stage without having a heart attack it might just be a miracle.


Do you have anything else to add to the list?

Toni x

Would you like to comment?

  1. Sophie climbed over the top of the couch last night! (usually she just claws at the back, which I don't mind, because she's beside me) I caught her just as she reached for the bookshelf! heart attack!

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    1. Oh god. We haven't reached climbing completely over the couch yet (touch wood), but she does try to launch herself over the arm rests a few hundred times a day.

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  2. Aww they grow up too fast!! My girl is going to leave her "preschooler" stage soon... quite excited, yet sad that she's growing up so fast!

    Ai @ Sakura Haruka

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  3. Yes yes yes to all of this! It's exhausting running around after them and I can barely move without stepping on toys that squeak or talk back to me. The climbing is out of control too! Wouldn't have it any other way though. It's a lot of fun:-)

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    1. Yea its exhausting but I love it too. Don't even get me started on stepping on toys {Mega Bloks are just as painful as Lego only bigger}.

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  4. Tick, tick, tick and tick!! Lol, I am right there with you. Especially the everything in mine stage!! x

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    1. Oh yes everything has been hers for a while now. She even steals my wallet and takes all my cards out constantly if I ever leave the bag unzipped {hope she grows out of that as she gets older or I'm doomed}.

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  5. In my boy's case, it means SCREAMING every time I try to change his nappy! Fun and games!

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    1. Oh yes she does the screaming too! The laughing comes after she gets away, before that its all screaming and MUM MUM MUM!!

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  6. We had to forgo a change table when nappy changing once we had a toddler. Absolutely one of the most dangerous things I have done!

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    1. To be honest I haven't used a change table for her for a few months because its too dangerous. I change her on a mat on the floor which is a lot safer for her, but also easier for her to run off. Its a catch 22.

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  7. I have a 2.5 year old. YOU JUST DESCRIBED MY WHOLE LIFE. God, I forgot how frustrating and exhausting all of the defiance is, the constant "no" to everything. We are soon to start toilet training, so it just gets better!

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    1. Yea I can't wait for that stage.... I'm sure I'll have a lot more inspiration for future blog posts when we're going through toilet training. Watch this space.

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  8. Yep you are well and truly in the Mum club now lol chaos isnt it. no more cradling baby in peace while you type:) now it will be someone doing your hair, sitting on your feet or banging their heel into your keyboard as you try. your house will never be the same haha xx

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    1. Haha she's already quite good at banging her heels all over the keyboard as I type while shes meant to be asleep. That and turning off my laptop because the dam blue button is just too tempting to ignore.

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  9. You have nailed it!! Just wait until she is demanding to know why she can't have a tablet of her own! Love strong girls, but they aren't easy to parent!

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    1. She can't have one because I don't even have one! Although daddy does so I can it'll be asked at some point. I think I'll be using mums old chestnut "because I'm an adult" a lot.

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  10. All I have to add is ENJOY IT!! Choose your battles wisely!!
    The toddler years are way tougher than the first year!!
    I could never get the hang of nappy pants, I just pin them down and hope for the best!! At least it is warmer weather now and more opportunity for no nappies!!

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    1. Bahaha there's no way I'm game to do no nappies (at least not inside) I know what comes out and I don't want to have to clean that up off the floor and anywhere else she wants to spread it.

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  11. Oh so true!

    Once they learn how to jump they will want to jump off everything. Even if that thing is taller than them, they will still want to jump off it, and will!. Well, if your unlucky enough to have a kid like Punky that is! Zee does the classic throw herself backwards or flat on the ground tantrum and it's hilarious. Punky used to just sit and cry and refuse to move when having a tantrum but Zee goes for the old classic and it's gold to watch. Wouldn't be so gold if I hadn't already experienced the toddler shit with Punky but second time around I've learned to just laugh and leave her to it!

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  12. These are all so right on! Especially about not being able to go to the bathroom without a crying toddler outside the bathroom door and the no fear thing. Great post, it had me laughing!

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  13. Love this! Once their vocabulary gets a bit better, there is always the potential for getting you in trouble, like asking why the man on the bus is so ugly :/

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    1. She already looks people up and down and rolls her eyes at them now so I'm sure she'll be getting me into heaps of trouble!

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  14. Soo soo true. My little guy is just about to turn 1 so he's just starting to show these qualities and it's hilarious/terrifying/mystifying. I'm glad to hear that all toddlers bite b/c I was a little worried mine was out of the norm for doing that!

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    1. Oh no they all seem to love biting Nikki. Mine's biting especially hard at the moment because she's got top and bottom teeth coming through at the same time.

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  15. Yep, right in the thick of it all and now that we're approaching two, the bubba's getting even more so...

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    1. I'm sure the terrible two's are going to be even more fun Jody.

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  16. And this fun lasts for years and years and years and years!!

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    1. Yay, I'm so looking forward to it! And we're planning on adding more to the brood so imagine that'll make it even more fun haha.

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  17. You've covered it excellently. Little devils they are!

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  18. LOL you definitely covered all the bases! The only thing I would add is that "No" becomes their favorite word to use! Thanks for Linking up to Mummy Mondays #team MM

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  19. Yes to everything on this list (except the biting thankfully). I'm really struggling today to deal with the constant demands for food and the crying at everything. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this.

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    1. Some days it really is a struggle isn't it? I'm just lucky I have lots of friends who are currently going through the same stages so I know I'm not going crazy. Lucky you don't have the biting, its not fun!

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  20. Oh I so forgot the toddler stage.....give me a toddler over a teenager any day!!
    They sure can make a mess in the house {toddles and teenagers!} but at least they are so cute ;)

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    1. Yes shes lucky she has the cuteness factor in her favour.

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  21. A very comprehensive list. It's funny how they always want your food but refuse to eat their. We love using a bit of reverse psychology on that one!

    Taking the nappy off used to be annoying... especially if soiled!

    Ah, the joys!

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    1. I know right, everything that's not theirs is SO much more appealing. I like the idea of reverse psychology, I'm so going to use that!

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  22. Did you know you've also described 10 ways to know when your Tweenager becomes a Teenager ... especially the messy and biting (with words) stages.

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  23. Hehe!! I'm nodding my head at these. The mess is the one that gets me!

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    1. I'm so over worrying about the mess. That's the easiest one for me to deal with because it doesn't argue back lol, unless someone is coming over then I freak out about it.

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