How is our baby already 20-months old? In 4-months, we have a 2-year old! Time, you can slow down just a tad.
It has been 20-months of being a mama. 20-months of baby snuggles and broken sleep. 20-months of falling in love with our crazy, baseball-loving, cookie-obsessed toddler, who feels more like a boy and less like a baby with each passing day. It has been 20 beautiful, life-changing months.
I don’t even know where to begin! It has been a while since I gave an update on Hudson. You can go back and read my 6-month update, where I include 6 major lessons I learned in those first 6 months. I also posted for his 1st year birthday with 6 more lessons. For the sake of time and your sanity, I am not going to list out 20 lessons in 20-months, even though I totally could.
To keep it brief, these past 20 months have taught me the importance of seasons. That hard seasons do not last forever. It has taught me to own who I am as a mom and to embrace these beautiful and simple days. I am finally beginning to really own these days of backyard bubble blowing and boo-boo kissing. Side-note: there is nothing quite as cute as watching a toddler blow bubbles. Or when that same toddler falls and immediately runs to you to heal the boo-boo with kisses. It will melt your heart in all kinds of ways.
I am really loving this season with Hudson. It is no secret that the newborn days were not my jam. I struggled. Not to say, I don’t struggle now, because I definitely am hit with those days of doubt and insecurity, but as a whole things feel more calm and confident and controlled (even when the tantrums and crying roll in). I am more secure in my identity in Christ and this pours out into motherhood. I was made for this. I was made for these days.
Things feel so much lighter than they did even a year ago. My bag is lighter. Now as long as I have wipes and a snack, I know we will be fine. My heart is lighter. Things are less serious. I can’t control everything. He will get hurt, get stitches (a lesson we unfortunately just learned), get bumps and bruises. And here’s the big lesson: that stuff doesn’t make me a bad mom. I used to take every bump and scape so personally. Not to say, I did not feel terrible about Hudson’s recent visit to the ER and his 5 stitches smack dab in the middle of his forehead. Of course, I felt terrible, but I didn’t feel like a bad mom. This stuff will happen again and again. I will do my very best to protect, love, and guide him, but I trust God’s plans and perfect timing for Hudson’s life.
My arms are also much lighter as I no longer am constantly holding and nursing and rocking. It has been a really fun season of getting to just watch him do his thing. I love the way he walks out in the morning ready to start his day. I love the way he runs in circles when he gets extra excited. I love the way he holds my hand as we walk outside. It was a special season to have him so close and needing me for nourishment the first year of his life, but this new season of independence is such a joy.
Like I said, I am not going to give 20 lessons, so instead I thought I would make a list of the 20 things Hudson is currently loving at 20-months!
20 Things Hudson is Currently Loving:
- Balls
- Trash trucks
- Any other type of truck, another fav is the street cleaning truck
- Dinosaur rain-boots
- Dino chicken nuggets
- Morning smoothies made by daddy
- All of his blankies, especially ones with silk that he can rub on his face
- Running!
- Daddy and Mum (as he calls me)
- ALL of his loving family
- Morning walks with Nala and bird watching
- His red VW car that he can “drive” really well
- His scooter and his Paw Patrol helmet. He loves wearing the helmet, but has not quite gotten the scootering part down.
- Hide-n-seek with DADDY
- Teacher Lynn
- Reading a million books before bed
- The ocean- there is no fear with this one
- Signing “more”
- Playing “baseball” in our living room
- Picking flowers
Happy 20-months, H-man! We love you so much!
This Mama Needs Grace 