The ABCs of being a new(ish) toddler mom:

(My thoughts at this second, organized alphabetically because that’s all the organization my brain can handle right now.)

| Alone time doesn’t exist for me anymore. This was proven when I had to go to the bathroom today with Clara sitting on my lap. Evidently a mom really can’t pee in peace (I thought that was just a rumor before).
| Breastfeeding is still happening, but we’re successfully weaning off of it during the day, so I can stick to feeding her at night and in the mornings.
| Cords are her absolute favorite thing to play with. Why have toys when a toddler can carry around cell phone chargers?
| Dropped nap. Clara’s morning nap hasn’t been a thing lately, so we dropped it. I absolutely love being able to leave the house in the morning and having (approx.) 2 hours of free time around lunch!
| Exasperating – trying to write this list with Clara attempting to pull down my computer screen every 4 seconds. Can’t a woman type in peace?! (No)
| Family bike rides around the city is our favorite mode of transportation lately. Clara enjoys it for a few miles before she gets fussy.
| Going to the doctor gets easier with time, it turns out! I thought our 12 month checkup was going to be the worst, but she didn’t even cry when she got her shot!
| Hugs and kisses – Clara has just learned how to give a proper hug and kiss and it’s so stinkin’ cute.
| Ice cream is her favorite treat.
| Jewelry table. She thinks it’s hilarious to run over to my jewelry table and take everything off of it, because she knows I’m going to come and grab her. Oh what a fun game it is… (for her, not at all for me!)
| Kids are so much more fun now that I have one of my own! I love getting together with her little friends and watch them interact with each other.
| Lopsided boobs are what I’m working with right now, because only one of them is still producing a large quantity of milk. It looks ridiculous!
| Miles and miles of walking is what I swear she must do just following Ozzie around the house all day! I should put a Fitbit on this girl.
| “No” is a word that she doesn’t understand, no matter how often I say it! Actually, I think she does understand it but doesn’t really care.
| Ozzie. Clara says ‘Ozzie’ but does not say ‘mama’. What the heck, little lady?!
| Peanut butter on my walls… Why did I think it was a good idea to give Clara a piece of peanut butter toast while she was walking around?
| Quick, grab her before she reaches ______ (whatever it is she isn’t supposed to have)!
| Reach. As a baby, Clara couldn’t reach much, but times are changing! I swear this girl gets taller every day and she is able to reach more and more things. I’m starting to realize how not-at-all-baby-proofed our house really is.
| Summer is so much easier than the winter. At least now we can go outside to play and burn off some energy in the sunshine!
| Tired. I thought the baby stage was tiring but that was before I knew the destruction a toddler could have on a house.
| Under furniture is where Clara most likes to walk/crawl. She then likes to stand up and bang her head on said furniture.
| Very sneakily (like a ninja) is how I leave her room once I put her down in her crib. It’s getting to the point where sometimes I can just put her down and walk out, but sometimes she likes her little head rubbed until she closes her eyes, and how can I deprive her of that?! (I can’t.)
| Will my house ever be clean again?
| (E)xtra fun. Honestly, this phase of motherhood is so much fun. Is it exhausting?! YES! But it is so sweet at the same time.
| Yearning for more breaks. I get seriously worn down after watching Clara for a few hours and need some mommy time off now more than ever!
| Zeal for life is what this girl has and what she gives me! Being a mother is such a blessing every single day.

To be honest, I consider myself more of a baby person  than a toddler person, but I love this phase because Clara learns something new every day and she just cracks herself up! I love it when she makes herself laugh. My mom heart has been so full lately with love of this little one.

(But I would still like more sleep. And to be able to eat without handing half of my snack over to Clara, who will just throw it all on the floor. You know, the little things.)