Seasons of Motherhood: The Toddler / Preschool Years

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In life, there’s a season for everything, including motherhood. Just like winter transitions to spring, moms transition from diapers and bottles to lunchboxes and little league, to learners’ permits and prom dates. There’s beauty and struggle in each season, and whether you’re looking fondly backward or eagerly forward, we’re here for all of it!

 

 

My name is Kelly, I’m in the Toddler/Preschool stage of motherhood, and this isn’t my first rodeo! 

 

 

My toddler is two years old (27 months old! Do we still do that at this age?!), and I adore the little person that I see growing into a big boy! He is still in the stage of needing his mama (YAY!!). When he has a boo-boo, he needs his mama … when he is hungry, he needs his mama … when he wants to go someplace- he grabs me with his sweet little hand and says,

 

“Come on, Mama!!”….

 

He still needs me, and it surely makes my mama heart so happy!!!! His brother is almost six and doesn’t quite need me in these ways anymore … so! To still be needed … it’s what I need. 

 

 

As a growing boy, my toddler is also doing all of these AMAZING things!!! I love that I can have meaningful conversations. My toddler is also strong-willed, just like his brother. He lets his opinions be known. I love that most of the time, my “Momma’s boy” wants ME to put him to sleep. It’s just incredible the opinions that he has at such a young age! 

 

My guy is getting big, and I don’t know that this mama can handle it! I guess I will have to. But! I don’t want to! Can I keep him this age FOREVER?!!!

 

I guess he has to grow up … so! My husband and I are navigating through potty training; it is challenging but SO very rewarding once you see them being successful! But, it’s also getting them ready to not need you in this way. From day one … we have changed his diapers. Soon, he won’t need me for this. And, yes! I’m excited about being done buying those expensive diapers. But, those special moments like when I am changing him, and I smell his feet and make a silly face and say what my Mommy used to say to me- “You are puuuuuuuuey-uuuuuueeeyyy!!!!” And he giggles that sweet laugh, and we do it again ….! It’s those special moments that I will miss. One day I will change my last diaper and probably not know it will be my last. That makes me super emotional… because my toddler is growing into a big boy!!! 

 

 

That sweet giggle … those baby feet … wanting to hold my hand all the time … needing me just like I need him … diaper changing … all of that changes when they move on to the next stage. It’s sweet too, but man … I adore this age! And maybe it’s because I am holding on to the last of everything because our youngest is our last child … but, I LOVE MY SWEET TODDLER!!!!!!!!! 

 

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Kelly W.
Kelly was born in Los Angeles, CA, and raised in her hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (GO BA!) where she graduated as a Tiger. Soon thereafter, she moved to Columbia, MO, and attended The University of Missouri-Columbia (a Tiger again!). She graduated in 2009 with her degree in Actuarial Science with an emphasis in Finance. While at Mizzou, she met her husband. Once they graduated, they moved back to St. Louis. They got married in St. Lucia in 2014 in front of all of their closest friends and family after being together for 5 years! A couple of years later (2! To be exact!) they had their oldest son! During the pandemic they had their youngest son and feel their beautiful family is complete! Being a Mom is the most challenging and rewarding job! Kelly truly LOVES and adores her boys! They are blessings and her heart! After working super hard at her job for the past nine years (almost a decade whoohooo!), she attained her dream role! She is a Data Engineer specializing in Data Integration. What is that? …maybe one day she will talk about it! She loves her job- it’s super challenging!! She is not the biggest fan of being on-call once a month, but! Hey! Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do! As mentioned earlier, Kelly loves St. Louis … she lives in Ballwin and adores her neighbors and neighborhood. Her family is the most important thing to her. They love doing everything together! They love taking their boys to parks, water parks (especially with summer! Whooo! )… pretty much any place that they can get all of that energy out!! They have energy for days … weeks … heck! She just needs 5% of it and she’d be set for the rest of her life! She and her husband also find it important to have their alone time- they love dates! Thanks to her super supportive and loving MIL, they get to go on dates from time to time! They love trying new spots to eat (Brass Rail is a new favorite with the best martinis!), going to the movies and traveling! Kelly’s looking forward to sharing her thoughts on a variety of topics and she is hoping you will be open to listening and maybe discussing!