to say 18 month olds are the best thing ever

[StopEatingThatMud]

I did not do pregnancy well.

I did the newborn stage even less well.

But toddlers are AWESOME funny little livewire, chatterbox, giggly bundles of fun.

I love my Fridays off

[rainrainandmorerain]

That's lovely, whatdoIknow. I am tearing up at the thought of my small toddling chatting companion being 19 or 20! I suppose I'll have time to get used to it....

[Whatdoiknowanyway]

I felt just like that when my DDs were that age. They're now 19 and 20 and I still feel the same. We didn't want each phase to end as it was such fun, then the next phase brought new things.
Sounds a bit smug, we've had our difficult times but I loved my funny, earnest toddlers and I love being with my beautiful young women just as much.

[WelshMaenad]

My 2.5 year old is the absolute best. He is so funny and chatty and I live watching him learn and grow. He's my little chum.

[TenPercenter]

YANBU I love toddlers, they are just so adorable, I think it's because they are still so tiny, but really show their personalities at this age, they are such little sponges.

My just 3yo is still pretty adorable, but the tortuous three's are taking their toll, le sigh.

I don't know why they call it the terrible two's all of mine have been pretty delightful at 2, it's 3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9 you have to watch out for

[rainrainandmorerain]

I love toddlers. I think it is partly seeing the process of 'small human being meets world' - everything is interesting, everything is an adventure. Walking up the road for me is just getting from A to B, but ds sees so much i don't.

I think it is horses for courses though - I was never that wowed by the newborn stage, then I did love crawling, but now we get the words, the chat and commentary and toddler conversation...... it's extraordinary. We get the odd bit of frustration and irrational tantrum at 24 plus months, but everything else is so much more enjoyable.

[TiredofZombies]

DD is 17mo, learning at a truly astonishing rate, and making me laugh all the time. She keeps tickling the dog, going "ticka ticka ticka!"

[PollyLove]

Oh my god, I literally did the exact same in Sainsbury's with my 17 month old yesterday but I abandoned the shopping in the end as she was really being a little monkey!
However, I must say this age is fab. She's so funny and chatty with such a personality and learning new things constantly. She amazes me with how quickly she picks things up.
Although I loved the bit up to now, this age is really great

[StopEatingThatMud]

Paha I got payback for starting this thread today. DD, mucking about, smacked her head on one of the metal bits of the trolley in Sainsburys after I chanced a bit of last minute Xmas shopping. Cue toddler screaming from hell every time I tried to put her back in the (full) trolley after a cuddle, resulting in me carrying her, (badly) pushing the trolley (into people), looking highly harassed and ultimately having a bit of a shouty altercation with her 20 minutes later at my wits end... we left with 1/2 the shopping and have to go back tomorrow.

That'll teach me to be so smug

[MadameJosephine]

Awwwww this has taken me right back to when DS was little, I love the toddler stage. Hes a stroppy teenager now but he was sooooo adorable when he was little. I'm so excited that I'm going to get to do it again soon with DD (she's only 6 weeks old and can already melt my heart with one of her milk drunk half smiles!)

[PickleSarnie]

YANBU.

From 18 months, he's been getting more and more fun. He's 27 months now and is totally ace.

If I could give birth to 18 month old and bypass the newborn bit, I'd have loads of them. Although it would sting a bit.

[ots]

My DS is 19 months, and every single day he does something new which makes us laugh, and something new which makes us think 'wow you are so clever'! Like today, I was getting my coat on ready to go out, and he went to the shoe rack and chose a pair of shoes for me . They were even the ones I had decided I was going to wear!

[BertieBotts]

I do love toddlers so much too

[Spuddybean]

i have to say, i cannot imagine my 14 wo DS getting any better - but i can't wait to see him at 18 months.

i never thought i could love so much. i waited so long and gave up so much to have him, just one of his gummy smiles makes it all worthwhile. he is truly spectacular - but i am biased

all your babies sound amazing too just not as good as mine

[StopEatingThatMud]

Napa, I got the distinct impression DD enjoyed being a little tiny baby about as little as I enjoyed the total shock of getting used to having one around! Colic, followed by reflux, followed by massive frustration when she couldn't do what she was trying to do, followed by teething. Yes, not my favourite few months!

And I love the hug thing too

Brian, I can't get my head round how much they learn so quickly. This time last year DD was 6 months and didn't do, well much really! I can just see the time flying past quicker and quicker as well, where's that pause button when you need it!

[Onamincepiebreak]

YABU

I fear my toddler DD is trying to kill me, think Stewie from Family guy, but cuter, which she uses well.

[BrianCoxIsAChristmasPud]

*made up for being perfect prior to the age of 3

[NapaCab]

Oh good, I can look forward to that then! My 14 month old is getting cuter by the minute - he'll be playing away doing his thing and then stand and look at me and come toddling up into my arms for a hug. The first time he did it, I nearly cried but he does it about 4 times a day now and every time, it's the best thing ever.

My favourite is when we're out and about at the park or somewhere and he'll turn around, see me and come up with his arms outstretched for a hug . So nice... and such a huge improvement on that awful 9-13 month stage before he was walking properly when he was permanently grumpy and teething and frustrated.

[BrianCoxIsAChristmasPud]

15-18 months was my favourite time in DD's life (up to that point) she was so funny and happy and easy.

She didn't "do" terrrible 2's but the moment she turned 3 she turned into a beast....oh lord, she made up for being perfect (albeit with a lack of understanding on the concept of sleep).

I remember really enjoying that age of 15-18 months, so YANBU OP!

Enjoy (and what a lovely post)

[Willowme]

My 18 month old is hilarious! We laugh at him all day long, I told him I loved him yesterday morn before leaving for work and then closed the door, my DH then heard him saying "I know" the poor wee thing is probably sick hearing it for the last yr and a half.

I'm dreading the days when the tantrums start as he's very stubborn, I just want to press pause on him and keep him like this forever.

[BrianButterfield]

Bumsy - I can't believe that this time last year DS was a baby and now when I say "Mummy wants a cuddle" he'll say "duddle!" and toddle over and hug me and give me a (gross) open-mouthed kiss! It's amazing to think of it. He can say "eyebrow" and picks up train tickets and says "diddit"! He knows the characters in Bob the Builder and can take off his coat on his own! All that in a year. It's incredible to think of.

[MikeOxardInTheSnow]

I have a 3yo and every age she has been has been my favorite age. Also have a 5mo and he is reminding me how great babies are too! Love them! :-)

[Goldenbear]

I have a 20 month old DD who is very funny. My DS had a boy around to play recently, he had some dinner with the DC and then asked what dessert was. Ordinarily I would have a special dessert for this sort of thing but DS had been ill days before and I hadn't been shopping so I could only offer fruit or a yoghurt. The friend didn't seem to hear the choices and asked three more times about dessert. Anyway, his mum arrived to pick him up and he told her straight away that there was no dessert, cue my toddler DD walking to the hallway, got the friend's shoes, stood at the front door and said 'out!'. It was hilarious. The mum actually said, 'see even smallGoldenbear thinks you're rude!'.

[JuliesSistersCousinsAuntsCat]

Could be Stop

DP taught him to hiss at cats in the garden during summer because they used our lawn as a toilet. Luckily he doesn't do that anymore! DS doesn't miaow though, he does a high pitched 'ahh' noise. Still, better than hissing!

He recognises the star shape since putting up the tree too. His eagle eyes have found more stars in our house than I realised! It is lovely when they reach that age where they develop a keen interest and awareness of the world around them. And give you the excuse of being silly all day!

[storynanny]

David Attenborough was once asked what the most interesting living thing was and replied a 2 year old human!!! I agree with him now I have a grandson of that age but probably didnt when my own were 2,

[OxfordBags]

I have a wonderful 20 month old. He's obsessed with cleaning things, so I just lay on the sofa saying things like "Now do under the table!" and give him a well-done clap now and then and he runs to me and smothers me in kisses for the privilege of doing half the housework for me

I also only have to say "bumbum!" to be instantly transformed into the world's greatest living comedian.

He also pointed to the tree today and said "kimma tee!", so cute!