by Tricia G.

Being a mother to a toddler is an exercise in patience and love. Suddenly, this tiny infant who has depended upon you since the day he or she came wailing into this world, has a vocabulary consisting of 'no!' and the capability to ignore every single person in your household. Over night, she's gone from being an angel full of smiles, coos and love, to a hell-bent toddler, concerned only with getting into every room, nook, and cranny that she isn’t supposed to be in.

A toddler is an experiment in extremes. One moment, she is beaming from ear to ear and adores you, just like when she was a baby. The next moment (perhaps when you told her no, she cannot have ice cream for breakfast) she is a wild, screaming animal, showing her capability to throw expert tantrums on your kitchen floor. The few quiet moments you experience with a toddler, like when she lays her head on your shoulder, or when she kisses you on the cheek, you should cherish. For the next moment, you never know what could happen!

Having a toddler, however, can also be an eye-opening experience. You will find she looks at the world completely different from you. Things in your life that were taken for granted are suddenly new and wonderful! Picking flowers, trying new foods, even getting kisses from the dog. Instead of being mundane tasks that litter your days, they become extraordinary. Why? Because of the giggles of one small toddler.

They call these years the 'terrible twos' when they first refer to the toddler set. Yet somehow, in between the tantrums, the crocodile tears, the ability to say no a thousand times over, there is something precious and unique about this time spent with your child. The kiss of a toddler or a toddler hug, arms wide open with a big, crooked smile, can warm your heart like nothing else will do. Regardless of the hard moments, being a mother to a toddler is one of the biggest blessings in life a woman can receive and every moment should be cherished.

About the author: Tricia G. is currently the mother of a beautiful two-year-old.

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