easier with a toddler or a newborn?

[katierocket]

Hi
my DS is 16 months and I've lost count of the number of times over the last year that mums have said to me "oh you wait it gets much harder as they get older", before he started crawling "oh, wait until he's crawling, it's much more difficult", before he was walking "oh, it's not crawling that's the problem - wait until he's running after you", "gosh wasn't it easier when they were tiny babies.." and so on and so on. Now maybe it's me or maybe it's because DS had horredous colic from 1 week until 3 months old and cried literally every day for at least 3 hours but I just find it gets easier - nothing can be as bad as those first days. (apart from teenagers I know!).
was wondering what other mumsnetters thought?

My mother once said "Mother knows what she's doing, as they become harder to deal so they become more wonderful to be with". Must remember to ask her how mother nature sorted out teenagers?

Ds was definitely a hard baby. No day time sleeps to speak of, despite HV telling me that he should be having 4 hours at a time! (Hmm, in retrospect that STILL doesn't seem right!) He is a wonderful little boy now, even including the wilfulness and tantrums. I much prefer him like this, as he is a little person, with a BIG personality. He was gorgeous as a baby, but I just spent the whole time terrified. If I ever have another, I will enjoy the baby stage so much more, as I will know the practical side more, and will worry less. So maybe I would actually get to have a good time with the second baby. Who knows. I absolutely love babies, and was gutted that ds did not want lots of cuddles as a baby. He is much more cuddley now, as I think that he has worked out that mummy is a sucker for kisses and cuddles!

It is also easier as, although he still does not talk much, he gets his wants across very clearly, so I understand him. It stops his frustration, and he has been much a happier little soul since that has happened.