Everyone remembers and talks about the key child milestones during the first 2 years: walking, talking, first solid food feeding, first smile, crawling, turning over, yada yada yada. But what about the other milestones that no one really talks about? Yes, there are unspoken child milestones that I’m going to enlighten you with. Seven to start at least!
- Throwing up in the toilet or trash can.
- This is a big one! During the first two years, you somehow become professional vomit catchers with cupped hands trying to minimize the mess. But all you’re left with a hand full of chunky vomit and most likely still have to clean up. Trying to catch it becomes a reflex once you hear the inevitable gagging sound. But don’t worry!! There will be a day where your child recognizes the signs and will run to the bathroom or to the nearest trash can. And it will be glorious!
- Wiping their own butts!
- The day they can officially go to the bathroom by themselves is amazing. They become independent tiny people who don’t have to scream for you after they’ve been in the bathroom pooping for the last 10 minutes.
- No more nap time.
- You actually get to stop planning your day and outings around nap time. That transition period is tough because there will be a demon/witching hour. But trust me, once you have the figured out, you’ll be able to move freely about your day. AND! They’ll go to sleep earlier.
- Eating alone without a mess on the floor.
- There’s always going to be some types of mess to clean from rice on the floor to sauce or syrup on the table. But eventually you’ll stop having to monitor their plate and yell from a distance to eat. They will eventually finish their entire meal.
- Entertaining themselves!
- Not all kids adapt to solo play. My oldest has never wanted to play by herself. However, she’s growing up and has new interests that she enjoys doing alone like writing in her journal about how much we upset her, watching baking shows on Netflix in her room, or playing with her jewelry making stuff.
- They stop following you everywhere!!
- Yes, there does come a time where you can go to the bathroom alone without a Pokemon at your feet and knocking your toddler down with your ass.
- Outgrow the car seat.
- If you have one of those Graco 4ever car seats, it’ll transform with your child. Rear facing, front facing, high back to booster. I love that my 6 yr old is finally in the booster and can buckle herself in and out. One less thing I need to do and she has some responsibility now that she’s a big girl.
These are the moments that really need to be celebrated because they make YOUR life easier. No one really wants to burst your new parent bubble and tell you that:
- Walking soon turns into running and knocking things down. Don’t get me started on the urgent care visits because they decided to fly off the bed and eat the floor.
- Solid foods lead to massive green and orange diaper blow outs with smells that you never forget. And you go from buying milk or pumping to spending hundreds of dollars in fruit every month.
- Massive excitement when they say a new word but eventually those words turn into sentences and they never shut up!!
Having children and being a parent is an amazing thing, but it’s also a soul sucking time because your life is not your own. But there will be a time where you can slowly become yourself or a newer version of yourself once you don’t have to worry about these small but huge daily things.
Hang in there!
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