My favorite age (and not at the same time)

I realized this week that Baby is quite possibly at my favorite age at the moment. Sure, he has his tantrum-filled moments, but I think I take most of them in stride so far, but he also seems to have a sense of humor. This child loves to laugh. He will come up to me and say, "Mama. Tickle. Tickle." He wants to be tickled, because he wants to laugh! So far, he hasn't quite learned the art of tickling other people.

We also have this cute little game - one of Baby's favorite things is the concept of up and down. I don't know that he entirely understands it yet, but this was one of the ways we started teaching him. One of us would lay down, and we would say "Mama down" or "Dada down." Now, Baby thinks it's a game. He'll push one of our shoulders, and says "Mama. Down" and expect for us to lay down. At that point, he'll totally body slam whoever's laid down. In my case the other day, I

think he may have actually bruised my ribs with his elbows.

My little man

By far, though, my favorite thing is the conversations that we have. The fact that he can have conversations is just so amazing to me in the first place. He was a late babbler as a younger baby, and I was constantly concerned about it. I'd bring it up at every pediatrician visit, and my pediatrician would always tell me to relax, that all babies do things at their own pace. It didn't help that I was friends at the time with another mom whose baby was almost six months younger than mine who was babbling far better. It just worried me. Then one day, he just started to babble. And then, he started to speak. "Dada" was his first and only word for a long time. I think "doggy" was his second word. Now, it seems he picks up more words every day, and he's positively mastering the art of mimicking how we speak. He just amazes me.

A month or so ago, we were doing some grocery shopping, and Husband said "Hi Publix" when we walked in, and Baby said it right back to him (Publix is my grocery store of choice). I was so proud, I had to walk up to one of the customer service managers, who I regularly chat with, and tell her all about it.

His quest for independence sometimes gives me a headache - especially last week when he fell down in the driveway and scraped up his arm because he was trying out outrun me, rather than climbing into his car seat. I understand intellectually that he's just learning, but sometimes it can be a little bit of a blow to the ego when he doesn't want anything to do with me. Then he'll turn around later that day and give me a bear hug for no reason (where he grabs me and grrrs like a bear - so sweet!).

Motherhood has been an insane adventure these last nineteen months, one I couldn't possibly have prepared for. Despite all the parenting books I have read (and continue to read), there's nothing like the on-the-job training (or lack thereof). I'm still learning every day.

So tell me, my reader mommies - what was your favorite age? Is the best yet to come?