Moody and unwilling to use their words to explain their feelings, wants, or needs. Helpless when it comes to the easiest things but refusing help with the difficult ones. Throwing tantrums over things beyond anyone’s control—like it being Monday or the sun setting.

Unrealistic expectations? Oh, absolutely. The whole I want what I want, when I want it mentality. Life is totally unfair. Sleeping all the time without expending an ounce of energy to actually be tired. Picky eating habits? You bet. They eat constantly (when they’re not sleeping), but only high-calorie, sugar-loaded foods. Poisonous veggies, grains, and fruit? Absolutely not. Water? Pure evil. They won’t drink it, and heaven forbid it touches their skin. The thought of smelling like soap or brushing their teeth? A nightmare.

When exactly does the baby phase end? Because I have a 15-year-old and a 10-year-old, and somehow, we’re still here. They’re far past toddler age, yet they bicker, argue, whine, and cry like a couple of oversized infants—frequently. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good, respectful kids…most of the time. Usually to people who don’t live in our house. But I still see that toddler phase thriving in both of them.

They say the good ol’ days are actually the days we spend raising our kids. And you know what? I’d have to agree. Even through the backtalk, nail-biting, tantrum-throwing, and constant mess, this time in my life is still the best.

My sticky, tattletale-ing, messy, argumentative, oversized toddlers are my favorite people. They make every day different, every moment worth living. The stress and weight of adulthood need their comic relief. I need them to remind me not to be all work, aches, and pains. I need to get on the floor and play, be creative, color, and paint. To explore the newness of their world while showing them the past of mine.

I love playing video games with them and explaining what gaming looked like in the ’80s and ’90s—blowing into cartridges like a tech genius. Sharing my favorite songs while they introduce me to the wild world of TikTok? Fun, embarrassing, and priceless.

Yes, they are needy. Yes, they can be downright rude at times. But God knows just how thankful I am for them.

SK

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