Sometimes you just have to set your agenda aside and hold a baby in your lap, or in my case, a toddler. The past couple of days have felt like we have taken two steps back. My son, who has been pretty independent lately, now has seemingly reverted and wants to be treated like a baby again. This morning I wanted to clean the kitchen, but immediately my son started crying with great big giant tears. “Hug! My Baby! Hug!” he cried out. Plan B is to get as much done on the computer as possible, since it appears I’ll be stuck in this chair for a while. I am surprised that such an active (and healthy) toddler is more than happy to sit on my lap while I type. But if that is what he needs, then I am happy to provide a lap for him to sit on and some arms to snuggle.
Around the age of 21 months, toddlers begin to develop their ability to recall memories, so it’s not uncommon for them to start acting like babies again. (This can also happen if there is a new baby in the house.) After all, they are remembering how nice it was to be held all of the time, and who wouldn’t want to enjoy some old fashioned cuddling? They might also want to start using a bottle or a pacifier more again. They might even cry like a baby!
It helps to look at the big picture to keep it all in perspective. Your toddler will not act like a baby forever! It’s just a phase. Yesterday I heard someone say, “the days are long, but the years are short.” How true that is of having small children. I know there will come a day when I will not be able to keep this little guy in my lap or hug him for more than a second, so I’ll enjoy these extra cuddles while I can.