10 ways you can tell your baby is now a toddler

Clearly there are some pretty obvious ways to tell your baby is a toddler, like the fact that they've turned one and the definition of a toddler is a child aged 1-3. There's also the obvious developmental steps like moving from crawling to walking, saying more words and needing more stimulating toys and activities to help sharpen their fine and gross motor skills. This list isn't about those things. This is all the other ways you can tell your baby has completed the metamorphoses into toddlerhood. The things people don't really talk about, but all mums of toddlers will relate to, or if you're still in the baby stage - the things you have to look forward to.

10 WAYS TO TELL YOUR BABY IS NOW A TODDLER

Your house is permanently messy

I went through a phase of picking up all the toys throughout the day to try and keep things tidy. It only lasted a few days before I realised it was futile. It's doable when your baby is immobile and they can't move toys around, but once they're toddlers they have this innate desire to come along behind you and destroy everything you've just tidied up. If your house looks like a toy shop has vomited all over the floor then its safe to say you have a toddler. My advice, learn to embrace the mess.

You can't go to the toilet by yourself

Gone are the days of being able to sneak off to the toilet. From now on you'll have a little toilet buddy whether you like it or not. Mine likes to bring me stuff like balls to throw and books to read. If she's in a particularly destructive mood she'll try to pull all the toilet paper off the roll or take one of the spare toilet rolls off for a walk somewhere and hide it. Yep toilet trips will never be a peaceful event again (even if you lock them out because then they just bang on the door saying "mum, mum, mum, mum" on repeat until you're finished).

They want to do everything themselves
You will most definitely have a little miss or mister independent on your hands once they graduate from baby to toddler. Even if they don't quite have all the skills yet, they'll still want to do everything themselves. They are now big girls and boys after all and they'll want to prove this to you as often as possible. Cue the rebellious independent streak.

They want to eat your food
Regardless of whether they wanted to eat theirs. Yours is always more interesting because they know they're not meant to have it. Even if you're both eating the same food, what's on your plate will still be more appealing. Every. Single. Time. End of story.

Everything is theirs
Younger babies are generally happy to share toys and play well with others, but once they're toddlers the what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine phase hits. Suddenly everything is mine, whether it is or not. Similarly everything someone else has is suddenly more attractive - toys, books and food are the usual suspects. FYI they don't need to be able to say the word mine to express this either, she gets her point across quite well with hair pulling, smacking and pushing. Trying to stop this behaviour usually leads onto my next point.

They throw tantrums
Its amazing how quickly kids master the art of throwing a tantrum. Babies generally only cry when they need something, but toddlers, they like to throw tantrums for a million different reasons. The tiniest thing can set off a toddler. Our latest one here is my glasses aren't on my head anymore, after she's just pulled them off. We also have my dinner is gone (after she's eaten it all), my toy fell on the floor (after she threw it there) and how dare you stop me from playing in the cats food on a daily basis. Then there's the normal screaming in the car tantrums and tired but unwilling to sleep tantrums.

Most tasks become a battle

Meal times, getting dressed, getting in the car, getting in the pram, going to bed (I could go on) usually turn into world war 3. Be prepared for a battle. Approach these situations with an arsenal of weapons up your sleeve. My weapons of mass distraction include toys, the tv and singing random songs.

Change time becomes a game of chasey

Nappy changes are a combination of a battle, a tantrum and a game; but mostly a game. It's a game of how many times do I have to roll over before I can get away from mum. Then, how quickly can I run away from mum while laughing hysterically. Then, how far can I run away from mum while I have no pants on (which is usually accompanied by the theme song "come back here so I can put your nappy on, you can't run around nakey"). The second chorus is "you need to put pants on before you do a wee on the mat". Yes, she has done a wee on the mat. Don't laugh, I'm sure your toddler will too at some point.

They bite {hard}
Depending when your baby starts teething this may start before they're technically a toddler, but they become much better at it when they're toddlers. I used to get occasionally bitten on my finger if it strayed too close to her mouth {or if I was dumb enough to let her put it in her mouth}. Nowadays though she deliberately bites me on my toes, knees and shoulders, daily. Apparently the bonier parts are better for biting because it gives them something to get a really good latch onto. It's pretty much like being attacked by a piranha, but one that you {for reasons that may momentarily escape you} love.

They have no fear
This is possibly the scariest trait a toddler has, at least for us parents. No matter how many times they hurt themselves you can be sure they'll still do the same thing again without a second thought. Its terrifying seeing your toddler about to launch themselves face first off the bed or the couch with reckless abandon. Of course I stop her before she goes over the edge, but then she tries to go straight back to the edge as fast as she can. If I survive the toddler stage without having a heart attack it might just be a miracle.


Do you have anything else to add to the list?

Toni x