When they turn one

I’m starting to believe there’s a switch that goes on as soon as a baby turns one. This joyous occasion marks the time when our babies are no longer referred as such, but instead they are called toddlers. Such big kiddos now! This switch, however, does more than change the term to refer to them; it literally turns them into toddlers, almost overnight.

It’s so funny to me how babyhood was sort of expected. Everybody knows how things happen: baby sleeps all day, wakes up to eat, and plays little. Then they are more attentive, but still sleep a lot. Then comes rolling over, sitting up, solids, creeping, crawling, all the stages until finally, around the first year of age, they walk, and probably say mama and dada, and mean it. So cute! Babies are supposed to be adorable, and they develop so quickly, so many milestones all cramped up in one year. And everyone knows that’s how it goes, these natural stages of development, everyone expects it and asks “is he crawling yet? Is he walking yet? Does he say any words?”

Toddlers, on the other hand, are supposed to be a handful. Curious and anxious to explore, they’re supposed to push your buttons and test every limit they encounter. Everyone has heard of the infamous “terrible twos”, that’s also expected. But I’ve never heard an expression for that stage between 1 and 2, something that defines this transition period between babyhood and the terrible twos. That’s because no one wants to burst your bubble, no one wants you to know there’s really little transition. All of the sudden they’re definitely not babies. They’re not full-fledged toddlers either, but it all starts so drastically that it throws you off your feet. In the space of a week so many things change, it’s unbelievable.

All of those things we’ve all heard about toddlers, the tantrums, the attitude, the testing of limits, it all starts as soon as they turn one. One day baby, next day toddler. Just like that, a good tantrum appears. Just like that, your kid is throwing himself on the floor dramatically while screaming when he doesn’t get his way (and where did he learn that!?!?). Suddenly, he doesn’t want that snack he liked so much, and it all ends up on the floor. Out of nowhere, all his patience is lost and he screams while you’re very obviously working on what he wants, like food and milk. Doesn’t matter you’re right there doing it, he wants it yesterday. Out of the blue, diaper changes are a battle where screaming and twisting are a must, and any toy intended to distract him ends up on the floor. All of the sudden, distraction and removal doesn’t work quite as well, as his memory has improved and will find his way back to the bookcase or the drawers he’s not supposed to play with time and time again. And he will throw a fit every time you try to distract and remove him, because he gets better at it every day.

I’m still in shock, mainly because I feel completely unprepared for this. The babyhood I knew all about is over; this is definitely uncharted territory, and I don’t have a map or a compass. I find myself trying to decide first and foremost which battles are worth fighting and to what extent. And I try to be consistent, but sometimes the constant nagging makes it hard. See? Completely unprepared. How am I going to survive toddlerhood with a baby, and toddlerhood times two? I have no idea, and to be honest at this point I don’t know if I will.