Turning 3 - anyone else having any feelings about this?

[athn64]

I get it. Every day she's more of a kid and less of a baby. She's losing her baby roundness and her silly words for things. She is more independent and doesn't want me as much. It's bittersweet.

[lrmrtn]

Kind of. I had such a different vision of what age 3 would look like, kind of like how had a different vision of what I'd be like at 40.

It also makes me nostalgic for when DS was an infant. I feel like I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have since we had a lot of bad things going on at the same time.

[becole]

I'm always sad that he's getting older. I don't want big kids I want babies. But the days just keep moving on. I want more time with them at each age. I want time to slow.

[bliz1712]

Every milestone or birthday gets me. She's my last so it's a little emotional at times. I don't break down and cry but it definitely gets me. I wish I could have more kids or go back and get more time with them. I love seeing my past FB postings that come up from when they both were little. 3 is a fun age, but it's just different. And oh the tantrums.

[scout251]

Yes, absolutely. Every day she seems like more of a big kid in the way she talks and things she can do. It's exciting to watch but when I look at pictures & videos of her when she was smaller it makes me so sad that I'll never get it back.

[Doll15]

Not only is it hard for me, its hard for her. She told me yesterday "I just want to be baby, no big grill". It just makes me sad knowing how much time has passed already and how much I wish I could slow it down and cherish every moment. 3 years isn't that long but it also feels like she has been here forever already.

[emmagk]

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

[becole]

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

This is my sister, she's ready to move on with life so I always think well maybe she's done having littles for sure and I'm just not there yet.

[meggypoo1]

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

I am caught in between this and not wanting her to grow up. I love watching her grow and learn but I also don't want her to get older and just stay at this cute age!

[bliz1712]

Apr 26, 2017 9:31:31 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

This is my sister, she's ready to move on with life so I always think well maybe she's done having littles for sure and I'm just not there yet.

I think the bolded can definitely play a big part.

[emmagk]

Apr 26, 2017 9:31:31 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

This is my sister, she's ready to move on with life so I always think well maybe she's done having littles for sure and I'm just not there yet.

yeah some people are baby people and some are not. From the way it's starting 3 is going to be a hard age but i'd still take it over baby any day. Not doing the baby years again is the #1 reason I don't want another child

[becole]

Apr 26, 2017 9:36:39 GMT -5 emmagk said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:31:31 GMT -5 becole said:

This is my sister, she's ready to move on with life so I always think well maybe she's done having littles for sure and I'm just not there yet.

yeah some people are baby people and some are not. From the way it's starting 3 is going to be a hard age but i'd still take it over baby any day. Not doing the baby years again is the #1 reason I don't want another child

I am enjoying the baby stage 100x more with #2. It's kinda weird like that.

[footloose]

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

I have liked every stage. I am a weirdo who didn't mind waking up to feed at night. I enjoyed her learning to crawl and starting making sounds.

I am not sad she is getting older, but more like I just keep expressing how fast time has gone by! I can't believe 3 years has passed already.

I love being able to talk to her and converse. It makes me look forward to what is about to come.

[meggypoo1]

Apr 26, 2017 9:53:51 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:36:39 GMT -5 emmagk said:

yeah some people are baby people and some are not. From the way it's starting 3 is going to be a hard age but i'd still take it over baby any day. Not doing the baby years again is the #1 reason I don't want another child

I am enjoying the baby stage 100x more with #2. It's kinda weird like that.

Me too. Clara wasn't awful like some others but she did cry from 1-4 AM every single day until 8 weeks and just fussier in general at random times. Nothing could be done for that. With T he just wants to be held. It's crazy the deference but I get it because you just never know what baby you will get.

[lrmrtn]

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

I feel this way too. I like that we can do more things and I'm excited for the things that we'll be able to do in a few years with him. But I still love snuggling him before bed and I'm sure those days will soon come to an end.

[kittyriot]

I'm with emmagk and lrmrtn, I'm not sad about her growing up because I'm loving where she's at right now, she's basically potty trained, can have a conversation with me (fantastically adorable conversations at that). I don't love the tantrums either cause when they happen they're epic, but there's going to be tantrums all the way along. The tantrums will just be different...

The only thing about getting older I fear is having a fifteen year old daughter. I am terrified at that and I'm certain she'll be fifteen and I will feel just the way I am right now, that I blinked and it was upon us.

[JoBub]

I think my DS had a recent growth spurt where he got taller and just stretched out. It makes me sad to look at him and see no baby fat. He just looks like a kid all of a sudden.

[bliz1712]

Apr 26, 2017 10:39:08 GMT -5 kittyriot said:

I'm with emmagk and lrmrtn , I'm not sad about her growing up because I'm loving where she's at right now, she's basically potty trained, can have a conversation with me (fantastically adorable conversations at that). I don't love the tantrums either cause when they happen they're epic, but there's going to be tantrums all the way along. The tantrums will just be different...

The only thing about getting older I fear is having a fifteen year old daughter. I am terrified at that and I'm certain she'll be fifteen and I will feel just the way I am right now, that I blinked and it was upon us.

Yes, teenagers are the worst.  We are at 13 with SD and I would take two 3 year olds over that.  There are other things that are nice, but the attitude and sass is beyond annoying.

[emmagk]

Apr 26, 2017 9:53:51 GMT -5 becole said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:36:39 GMT -5 emmagk said:

yeah some people are baby people and some are not. From the way it's starting 3 is going to be a hard age but i'd still take it over baby any day. Not doing the baby years again is the #1 reason I don't want another child

I am enjoying the baby stage 100x more with #2. It's kinda weird like that.

See here's my worry, DS was an amazingly easy baby - slept through at 12 weeks, ate well, never cried unless hungry, happy to hang out in his bouncy seat. So if i struggled that much with him i can't imagine how i'd handle a fussy baby and with DS personality now i don't know i'd make it mentally. 

[emmagk]

Apr 26, 2017 10:39:08 GMT -5 kittyriot said:

I'm with emmagk and lrmrtn , I'm not sad about her growing up because I'm loving where she's at right now, she's basically potty trained, can have a conversation with me (fantastically adorable conversations at that). I don't love the tantrums either cause when they happen they're epic, but there's going to be tantrums all the way along. The tantrums will just be different...

The only thing about getting older I fear is having a fifteen year old daughter. I am terrified at that and I'm certain she'll be fifteen and I will feel just the way I am right now, that I blinked and it was upon us.

I'm terrified of having a teenager. Not so much the emotional rollercoaster but the trouble they get into, drugs, bad friends, impulsiveness...

[lrmrtn]

Apr 26, 2017 10:59:12 GMT -5 emmagk said:

Apr 26, 2017 10:39:08 GMT -5 kittyriot said:

I'm with emmagk and lrmrtn , I'm not sad about her growing up because I'm loving where she's at right now, she's basically potty trained, can have a conversation with me (fantastically adorable conversations at that). I don't love the tantrums either cause when they happen they're epic, but there's going to be tantrums all the way along. The tantrums will just be different...

The only thing about getting older I fear is having a fifteen year old daughter. I am terrified at that and I'm certain she'll be fifteen and I will feel just the way I am right now, that I blinked and it was upon us.

I'm terrified of having a teenager. Not so much the emotional rollercoaster but the trouble they get into, drugs, bad friends, impulsiveness...

+1 I'm terrified DS will be just like DH was as a teenager since they seem to have the same personality.  Which means total rebellion. skipping school, partying, etc.

[becole]

Apr 26, 2017 10:56:25 GMT -5 emmagk said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:53:51 GMT -5 becole said:

I am enjoying the baby stage 100x more with #2. It's kinda weird like that.

See here's my worry, DS was an amazingly easy baby - slept through at 12 weeks, ate well, never cried unless hungry, happy to hang out in his bouncy seat. So if i struggled that much with him i can't imagine how i'd handle a fussy baby and with DS personality now i don't know i'd make it mentally. 

You have perspective and experience- two things that just for me made a world of difference. Also, my expectations were realistic. I understood I wasn't going to sleep well, wouldn't get my life and body back immediately, would have to spend time pumping, etc...
I just didn't realize until #2 was here how special and fast that time goes- even the time in the hospital and seeing them all new and smelling their baby smells, then seeing for the first time that they rolled- or laughed. Oh and all the cuddles and slobbery kisses and looks of adoration at you... I had no idea how much I missed a baby. And how innocent and "good" they are. They're easy to forgive and if I don't sleep I get up and drink Diet Coke and move about my day. It's not like this "wah, woe is me" thing that I had going on with my first. It's more like "omg how precious every moment, tear, I love you so much, 😢, you're getting too big."
I don't really think I'm explaining that well. I'm certainly not trying to convince you- when you know you're done you're done. Everyone has a last baby. But it's just been so different for me. Maybe because #1 was hard and #2 is easy... 🤷🏼‍♀️

[lrmrtn]

I should also add that my niece, who was the sweetest, most well-behaved kid, is now an angsty teenager. But at least she's a straight-A student.

[lecky11]

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

I don't get sad either. I love that she's becoming a little person. Last Saturday, I made a cake for someone and we went to the park after he picked it up. Last night, she saw a picture of the cake and told me, "he picked up cake, we go to park." It was so cool to see that she is starting to form memories.

I read an article the other day that said time moves on so don't get sad that you won't get get to rock a baby to sleep anymore, etc.; be glad that you did get to do it.

[emmagk]

Apr 26, 2017 11:03:49 GMT -5 lecky11 said:

Apr 26, 2017 9:30:06 GMT -5 emmagk said:

I know i'm the odd one out but i don't get sad at all about him growing up. I did not enjoy the baby years and have struggled with them. I'm excited he's getting more able to join in activities and i love the conversations we have and the observations he makes.

I don't get sad either. I love that she's becoming a little person. Last Saturday, I made a cake for someone and we went to the park after he picked it up. Last night, she saw a picture of the cake and told me, "he picked up cake, we go to park." It was so cool to see that she is starting to form memories.

I read an article the other day that said time moves on so don't get sad that you won't get get to rock a baby to sleep anymore, etc.; be glad that you did get to do it.

that's a lovely way of thinking about things.

I'm constantly amazed at what DS remembers 

[kittyriot]

I'm not super great around teenagers when they're not my own, I am going to be the lamest, dorkiest Mom according to my teenager. And I so don't care...

[scout251]

Because of this thread I'm sitting in a dark room letting DD2 sleep on me while DD1 is at school. I'm using the fact that she has a little runny nose justify it.

[meggypoo1]

T is month old today and I have a week and half left of my leave. This thread has me in all sorts of emotions

[bliz1712]

Eliza is still very attached and I love those moments. My H and ILs probably think I'm babying her, but it won't kill her to be carried or hugged several times before leaving her.

[lrmrtn]

Apr 26, 2017 11:57:36 GMT -5 mary97 said:

Apr 26, 2017 11:54:46 GMT -5 bliz1712 said:

Eliza is still very attached and I love those moments. My H and ILs probably think I'm babying her, but it won't kill her to be carried or hugged several times before leaving her.

DH is always telling me not to carry DD.  She's only going to be little for only a little while longer so I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can carry her. 

Lately at bedtime, DS wants to sit with one of us in the rocking chair in his room. It frustrates DH but I secretly love it because I know those days are numbered, especially because he barely fits anymore.