These past few weeks have well and truly been a little, shall we say, tricky. And not because of the little 12 week old we have, but ALL because of the not so little (almost 3) year old. The tiredness, the sleep issues, the tantrums, another of these “phases” which just plain suck.
And I know I am not alone. All of you (who currently have one, or have had one) have reinforced to me that I am not alone. And that’s comforting, it really is. Between the tantrums and screaming matches and the in between sweetness, it’s like living with Jekyll and Hyde – you never know what you are going to get on any given day. Our days are determined by the mood that her royal highness is in – and when she wakes up happy and delightful and as sweet as can be, I breathe a sigh of relief, just because (for the time being) there is no whinging or screaming, or fighting. From either of us.
And the one thing through it all that I have noticed is just how much she has grown. Who knows maybe there is such a thing as growing pains? Maybe the whole thing just hurts or sucks or something and that’s why toddlers can be so plain revolting. I looked at her last week, really stopped and looked at her (probably cranky) face and realised that there is no more baby left in her. No more puppy fat, no roundness, no babyness – she just has the head of a little girl. Inside AND out. The stuff that comes out of her mouth now astounds me. She is clever. And funny. My new nickname is “cheeky old Mummy” which I am not so pleased with – but which completely cracks her up. She seems to be stuck between the 2 year old toddler she was and the 3 year old girl she so wants to be – frustrated by things she wants to do but can’t quite master. Concepts and words that she says, but doesn’t quite know just what they mean.
And the thing that has surprised me the most throughout all this, this particularly nasty “phase” is what I have learned about myself. My faults and my strengths. So many things that I would never usually have to face up to, or admit to, it’s all been right there for me (and Rob and Daisy and to a lesser extent Harper) to see. It’s all quite a business this growing up.
These photos that Rob took on the weekend, I think, have captured the very last bit of a 2 year old that Daisy now is. I was surprised when I looked back, to see in them Daisy as the little girl that she still is, even though she desperately wants to be the 3 year old girl that is just around the corner. There is just a little button left in her nose, a little plump in her cheeks, still there. But I am sure, not for long.
Yep! I could have written the same of my not so little boy. (He was born same year as your little girl but on 13 Feb!) The Jeckyll and Hyde thing is sooooo true and I keep seeing the ugly side to myself when I lose it and get impatient with him all too quickly. *sigh*
Gorgeous pics of your girl. It’s amazing, I can see a photo of my little boy from a week ago and he looks so grown up even after a week. They must grow super fast when they are two! And no more babyness here either….:(