6 Ways That I Know My Son Is Growing Up

1. He’s starting to develop a personality. If he wants something, I hear about it. If he doesn’t want something, he makes that blatantly obvious as well. Either way, his goal in life is letting his desires be known in every way that he possibly can. Right now, it’s still cute when he gets angry. I’m thinking I probably won’t feel the same way in another year or two, though.  

2. I can’t hold him down – He’s always on the move and he’s not even crawling yet. Actually, we’ve officially decided that he wants to walk – he’s shown absolutely no interest whatsoever in anything but. I remember when he couldn’t even roll over and I knew he wasn’t going anywhere without my help. In some ways, those were the days. Now, I can’t turn my back. 

3. Things have gotten a lot more interesting during playtime. He rolls balls, pushes cars, and throws things. He dumps everything out and scatters it all over the place. He thinks everything is a toy and has made the entire house his playground. Oh, and all of those toys that I used to have to turn on for him – yep, he’s figured out how to do it himself now. 

4. I can’t eat without getting stared at, which is really the equivalent of “mama, are you going to share?” you know, because if I’m eating it then it certainly has to be better than baby food, right? It’s so hilarious to watch him eye up whatever it is that I’m putting into my mouth – because pudding is really at the top of the list of things that I want him eating right now. 

5. He expresses emotion – when I say his name, he looks at me and smiles. When I stand him up, he leans against me and wraps his arms around me. He giggles when I give him kisses. It’s crazy to think that just a few short months ago, he recognized me, but didn’t acknowledge me. Now, I get his undivided attention at all times.  

6. He has a voice. Some days, this is a good thing. Other days, I’m not so sure. The first recognizable thing that little voice said? “Da da da da.” Really? How exactly does that happen? I was really hoping that his first word would be mama or at least some variation of it – nope, I didn’t stand a chance. Daddy for the win. 

Has it become painstakingly obvious to you that your little one isn’t so little anymore? How do you know that your son or daughter is growing up? Leave a comment and add to my list. 

Written by: Cristi Wuenschel