Baby Be Gone

The title. Not the kid. Don't worry, we still have our baby Aiden. But, per the state, Aiden will no longer be able to claim the title of 'baby' in the AM...he will officially be a toddler. Isn't that crazy? I'm pretty sure it's crazy. I can't believe it's been 18 months since this sweet, sweet boy became a part of our world. There has not been a day of his existence that I haven't smiled. He brings us so much joy, even when he's being crazy, destructive, take the house from spotless to disaster in zero to sixty. Even though he's making a mess, it's funny to watch his mannerisms when he does it.

I'm not much of a sap about his official toddler status because I feel like the change actually happened about two months ago. A few days before he turned 16 months, if you want to get specific. One day in the car on the way home from daycare, I looked at my little man in the rear view mirror and knew he was different, more grown up. He didn't act like a baby anymore, he was saying actual words, he understood things we were telling him. It was enough of a switch that I may have shed a few tears that night when I put him to sleep.

I've decided that parenting is the very definition of bittersweet. It is so fun and sweet to watch them grow up....so far every stage has been more fun than the last. But, it's sad for it to be the end of a stage because you never get to go back there and the stage you just left had things you loved about it too. It's also bitter because you know they are just working their way toward being a big person with every new stage, and I don't even want to think about the things that happen when big person happens (girlfriends, college, moving out). That's just a scary place to me right now so I'm going to end this post. Luckily, I get to keep him as a little person for awhile longer.....and enjoy him doing things like chilling in the lounge chair and cuddling in my lap.