Sofía is officially a 2 year old. What a year it’s been! If you’ve ever raised even one child, I’m sure you can agree with my list of the top 10 things I’ve learned about 1 year olds over the past year.
- One day they’re sweet as a popsicle, and the next day they are a full-fledged temper-tantrum toddler! The stage of the “terrible twos” really starts around 13 months (don’t be fooled by the word “twos”). These kids can be super demanding and have very strong wills.
- Their language development over a year’s time is phenomenal. They can grasp multiple languages (ours knows English, Spanish, and a little baby sign language) and correctly speak to people in the language which they are fluent (for example, Sofía sees an airplane and says “airplane” to me, and then “avión” to papi) .
- They get into EVERYTHING. You think you put something high enough, and then they are running around the house with it, ready for you to chase them down.
- A room full of toys is not good enough. If they know they are “allowed” to play with something, it no longer becomes appealing to them. Also, if a younger sibling has ANY toy, the one year old will do anything to get it.
- They do NOT want their hair done, unless you let them watch a show, and then you can do whatever you want to them.
- They only make noise while their parents are trying to talk to one another.
- They cry what seems like 24/7. Teething, ear infections, and falling down are some of the biggest culprits to this crying.
- They will touch, look at, and even squash bugs, but if a bug is flying around, it’s “scary”.
- They can be so sensitive, loving, and caring one minute, and then they can become a fit full of rage the next minute.
- They still cannot be trusted with a bowl of oatmeal and yogurt. It will get all over their clothes, their face, their hair, and the floor as they try to eat it themselves.
Ok, so I might have exaggerated on some of this stuff, but you get the idea. While this list is focused mainly on some negative things, my 1 year old definitely has many wonderful qualities. I was just really surprised by all the extra “stuff” we had to deal with this year. Even with many nieces and nephews, I didn’t realize how much work 1 year olds are.
Do you agree with some of these?
I totally agree with everything on your list! Oh my goodness my little 18 month old is a terror these days! She gets in to everything and is she is nonstop from the minute she gets up. Unless she is watching bubble guppies. Thanks goodness for bubble guppies lol! Great post!
Thanks for popping over, Leilani! Yes, thank goodness for shows!
Your top 10 reminded me of life in our house a few years ago. Made me smile and dare I say miss the absolute non-stop craziness of those first years of life when you truly don’t know what the next moment will hold! Stopping by from “How do you do it?”
Isn’t it funny how the fondest memories come from the day to day moments? Glad you could stop by!
We are just hitting the one year mark, Charlee, and I am already preparing myself mentally and emotionally. There are a lot of challenging days, a lot of rewarding days, and a never-ending supply of daily adventures! Thanks for sharing your personal experience!
Definitely take in every moment you can, because they grow out of stages so fast. It’s so great that you are positive about it all, Lauren!
I so agree! The biggest challenge I had with my one-year-olds was that I was still getting to know them, figuring out what made each of them tick.
Thanks for linking up at HDYDI!
You must have had double the fun! My daughters surprise me every day with the things they do! You really do have to get to know them better.
Great post! As the dad of a 15 month old, I could really identify with what you’ve said here.
Thank you, Jonathan! It’s so nice to know I’m not alone in this parenting business even if it feels like it sometimes! I appreciate you coming by!