My baby, he's gone!

I think it's over. Seriously. My baby, he's gone.

These last two weeks we seem to have turned the corner from babyhood to toddlerdom. All those last little bits that made Luca still seem like a baby have gone and been replaced by lots of little things that make me realise my baby is now very much a little boy.  We've been in toddler territory for a while, the tantrums, the naughty behaviour and defiance, but they have always been alongside his other characteristics that made him still seem so small.  

I can't even really put my finger on the things that have gone, they weren't really anything specific, it isn't a really obvious or drastic change in behaviour or routine but whatever it was that kept him a baby is no more. 

He has been sleeping in a bed rather than a cot for the past 6 months, no longer sits in a high chair preferring to sit with us on a proper chair, drinks from a cup and can do so much independently now (even tells me off if I try to help "No Mummy, I'll do it"). These have all been things that have happened progressively before now and none of these changes seemed to signal the end of his baby years, though most of them would seem that way.  It isn't that his speech has suddenly developed either, he's been talking for what seems like forever and is really advanced with his speech, already talking in sentences and opting for big words such as delicious, awesome and beautiful rather than nice, good and pretty. So really I don't know what it is.  Maybe it's the way he says things to me now, the facial expressions and gestures. The increase in his independence and defiance, his intrigue for everything.  The one thing I can put my finger on is his suddenly evident imagination. Everything is now a horsey, in particular the umbrella and sweeping brush. He loves to make us cups of tea, feed his teddy, makes his toys talk to each other and now plays with his toys in different ways everytime he plays with them.  It is an absolute joy to watch and this is obviously a sign that he's maturing.  

Ask anyone of my family or friends though and they will all agree, he is now so much more grown up.  It shouldn't really be that much of a shock to me, he is 2 in just under two months but it seems to have snuck up on me and happened so quickly.  This has resulted in the increase of the dreaded, "You'll be having another soon won't you?"  Actually, the answer is still no.  I absolutely adore this stage, the fun, the conversations, the learning, teaching and active discovering by both me and Luca. 

 This is without doubt my favourite stage of development and I'm enjoying and making the most of every second of it. After all, it will be over before I know it, right?