Is 8-12 months the most exciting time in terms of change?

[newmum234]

DS is currently 8 months and I’m excitedly wondering about what I can expect in the months ahead. From what I’ve read it seems a baby could be crawling for the first time, sitting up on their own, taking their first steps and saying their first word, all by the time they’re 1. They’ll also be eating 3 meals a day and no longer needing formula - another big change!

Obviously they develop a lot from newborn to 8 months but the milestones I mentioned above seem even more significant, and there are so many of them in such a short space of time.

Is 8-12 months a particularly exciting time would you say?

We’re at nine months and it seemed like within a week he was sitting properly, crawling, pulling up and cruising, all from being like an angry beetle just days before.

Now I’m at the “wishing he’d still lie down” stage because I don’t have enough safe places to put him and everything is a danger.

Ace, though!

No. Everything seems exciting when it's your PFB, I guess. All the little milestones. But I found that DC1 got a lot more interesting when he started talking more, shortly before his second birthday.

DC2 is only 16 weeks and she got more interesting when she became more alert and responsive, smiling and laughing, but honestly I find babies cute but boring until they can talk.

all from being like an angry beetle just days before.

Haha angry beetle is such a good description!

Not especially no.

It is a pretty amazing time yes.

I would say 12-18 months is the most exciting though. They are starting to walk, run, talk and can play games with you.

Personally I love the toddler 1-3 years best

Being fair I don’t think any of my DC met those milestone between 8-12 months. They learned to wave and clap round then I think but sitting and crawling were all done before 8 months and walking and talking they all did after 12 months. They all had breast milk or formula until much closer to 2 than 1.

The four month time around the second birthday is massive. I’d say that’s the time they come on the most.

That and the more unpredictable teenage growth spurt when they turn from a child into an adult seemingly before your very eyes and go from a cute kid to taller than you. Full blown Kevin the teenager metamorphosis.

My kids 3 and my other son is coming up to 10 months. It's all exciting!

Every 6 months, something cool happens. Between 8-12 months, DS1 was crawling, sitting up, cruising and might have said a first word or two. Walking didn’t happen until 13, almost 14, months. He didn’t get a decent language burst until 16 months, then a big one at 20 months.

Every milestone is fun though.
0-6 months, we had rolling over and commando crawling
6-12 months, as above
12-18 months, walking and language starting (and tantrums! Oh the tantrums)
18-24 months, so much language and personality suddenly coming out
24 - 36 months onwards, we’re getting imaginative play developing properly, holding proper conversations, sense of humour, better gross and fine motor skills. I really enjoy his company at age 3.

So yeah, there’s some fun stuff coming (which may or may not happen before their first birthday), but a whole ton of other cool stuff coming after that too. Language has been my favourite part.

No - mostly because she did two of the big milestones way after 1! They get on the move but have zero sense so it's exciting that they crawl/cruise/walk but then less so when their only focus is on getting to the nearest plug socket/buggy wheel/bookcase/stairs/other hazard. That period was accompanied by some of the worst sleep imaginable too so I was pleased to get past 18 months tbh.

After 2yo has been much much more fun for me. There's so much learning and development every day. It's not big milestones but lots of amazing

Pressed enter too soon!

*lots of little amazing things

Ah, it’s all good. I’m going for 18-19 (years) as the most exciting time. Sent a kid off to uni, got back an adult.

Enjoy 😉

I don't think so, seeing them grow into proper people with personalities and opinions and being able to hold a conversation with their own opinions is much more exciting to me. Mine are 10 now and I find them fascinating every single day. I'm not really a baby person though!

I would say age 2 is amazing. They're like this little person with words and a personality 💕

DS was crawling and cruising from 7 mths but he only developed a proper personality after 12 mths. He is argumentative just like me and will argue about everything with the few words and gestures he knows how to say.

Every stage is exciting when it's your own baby, but for us 8-12 months were not any more exciting. DD was already sitting, crawling, cruising by then. She did get the hang of walking during that time, but as she had already been crawling well, it didn't really make her any more mobile or able to do more.

At 16 months her personality is coming out more, which I'm especially enjoying, and I'm looking forward to when she is able to talk more.

I loved the first 6 months but 2 was definitely the most exciting because dd started nursery, we had less time together and more was happening.

No. 18-24 was fantastic for me

Thanks for the replies. I kind of thought DS was already developing a sense of humour, but I suppose laughing at peekaboo probably can’t be described as a sense of humour!

No, I found 6-12 months quite taxing both times to be honest. My first DC was ok because he was happier to sit, but my second DC seemed frustrated until he started walking at 13 months. Neither crawled until 10 months so there didn't seem to be much change.

I find the best is 12 months to 2 or 18 months to 2.5 depending on how early your child walks and talks.

I think every developmental stage is interesting and fun in its own way, but the year they turn 3 and into their 4th birthday is amazing. They start talking, they lose their baby face, they turn into pre-schoolers. It's amazing to witness.

And the last year of primary school - they are straddling the line between childhood and embracing growing up, and it's lovely to see them become their own person.

Watching your child grow up is a privilege. I have never gotten tired of it.