Toddler?

Where did my baby go?

It seems once your child turns one, and after that dreaded visit to the doctor, all things baby are yanked away from mommies. I was told that number one, it was time to take away the bottle from Mary Ellen. Number two, it was time to take away her infant seat and install her a "big girl" seat. And Number three, let her try feeding herself more. After that visit to the doctor, it just all seems so...official. Our babies are no longer, well, babies. They are now officially growing and morphing into toddlers - little people who are becoming more independent and learning how to talk back and push buttons (boy how fast they learn to manipulate. It's scary, really).

So that's it. Mary Ellen is no longer a teeny weeny baby. I knew this day was coming - this "doctor visit" day. I knew what was in store for me (and poor MEC) before I even made the appointment. I began prepping myself ahead of time, making sure my defenses were raring and ready to go. I would say things like, "Well, Mary Ellen is just not ready to give up the bottle and I'm her Mama and I'm gonna keep giving her her bottle until I say it's time to stop." I can also be quoted as saying, "She doesn't need a new car seat, yet. She can still fit into her infant seat. Besides, I hear babies stop sleeping in the car once you turn them around."

The truth was, I knew all this was bologna. I knew - and know- what the doctor recommended is in the best interest of my daughter. It's what is healthy. But there should be a rule on how many things a mother is supposed to take away at a time, darn it. It wasn't the struggle of taking the bottle away from her that I was fighting with. I was afraid this meant that Mary Ellen is no longer my sweet little teeny weeny baby, that she is becoming a big girl and is learning new things - some of them on her own. She now walks and has like, a million teeth. She now talks more, and even hollers at us when she doesn't get her way. She already knows how to manipulate and thinks it's hysterical when she throws all her food on the floor for the dog to eat because she knows that we truly can't do anything about it. Seriously. What are we gonna do about it? It is kind of funny.

My point is, it is hard letting go of your infant. I can't imagine letting go of her forever when she is to marry. But I had a dear Friend tell me one time, God entrusted us to raise our children, and to raise them to leave. That is our main responsibility - to guide them to leave our house and to make their own. I believe this starts at 1, when our babies first begin to show signs of independence. This really isn't a sad thing. It is truly beautiful.

But no one can take away a Mama's first year with her teeny weeny baby. That year is for us - darn it!