What's your favorite age?

fuzzbucket

With DS being 1.5 now, I feel like I get a lot of "warnings" i.e. "just wait until he's 2!" (or 3 or 5 or 13 or whatever age people want to warn you about). On the flip side, I remember when he was born and things were hard, people would say, "oh it gets better at 3 months." (or 4 or 6 or 10, etc.) I'm sure everyone has their favorite age/stage, so I thought this might be interesting to share.

For me, I really loved the time from about 5 months when he started showing personality and started getting mobile. He was more "interactive" than before and I loved getting to know him that way. He felt like a real person instead of an adorable blob that I fed all the time. Since then, we've had our rough spots, but he is just such fun to have around that the good parts make me forget the bad.

Anyone else?

CGNYC

I always feel like whatever stage she's in is my new favorite stage - mostly because everytime she gets more independent, my life gets easier. She gets funnier every day.

RedCatWaves

I absolutely love the newborn stage. So, 0-3 months would be my favorite.

After that, it really varies by kid. Some kids are great as toddlers and pre-schoolers, some are not. Some are great as school-agers, some not.

I wish I could freeze-dry my youngest at his current age of 8. He's so perfect right now, I want to keep him that way. I don't want to let him get to pre-puberty.

fuzzbucket

CGNYC wrote: »

I always feel like whatever stage she's in is my new favorite stage - mostly because everytime she gets more independent, my life gets easier. She gets funnier every day.

I am in total agreement on this!

medussa

It's hard to say, since each of my children have been so different.

But I am loving this time with Lilly. She's 18 months old and we are having a blast. I have to restrain myself from posting everyday about something she has done or how crazy I am about her.

Po

I agree with RCW; the newborn stage is the best. Actually, I'd extend that to about 8 months.

RedCatWaves

Po wrote: »

I agree with RCW; the newborn stage is the best. Actually, I'd extend that to about 8 months.

They're rolling and crawling and getting into trouble by then. I like them as blobs.

WileE-Dead

I'll get back to you...lol

PixieCurl

I wouldn't quite say the newborn phase, but the very young phase. Once he started to show his personality, but before he became mobile. When he was small enough to easily pop in and out of a sling all day and when he would sleep anytime, anywhere without needing to worry about being home at naptime.

deezee02

I do not think we have found one yet...

Newborn (0-6 months) was just tough emotionally for everyone

6-18 months were tough as he was teething and growing (both physically and developmentally) a lot which caused discomfort for him.

18-now - although I LOVE how independent he is, he is also very very headstrong. and he never sits still...he even taps his feet when he sleeps!

wavezncurlz

CGNYC wrote: »

I always feel like whatever stage she's in is my new favorite stage - mostly because everytime she gets more independent, my life gets easier. She gets funnier every day.

So far, I agree you with wholeheartedly.
Also, every child is different. I love my 3 year old again - age 2 was difficult for both of us because she was so damn verbal and defiant and I was pregnant for most of the year. My one year old is not as verbal and expresses herself by "falling out" (this is another whole thread).

I disliked the first 3 months with both immensely - moreso when I had a toddler and a newborn. I couldn't wait for the "blob" stage to be over. I relished that first social smile and giggles.

wavezncurlz

PixieCurl wrote: »

I wouldn't quite say the newborn phase, but the very young phase. Once he started to show his personality, but before he became mobile. When he was small enough to easily pop in and out of a sling all day and when he would sleep anytime, anywhere without needing to worry about being home at naptime.

yes! Cassi will fall asleep anywhere still.

subbrock

1-3 yrs old is my favorite. i love toddlers. theyre old enough to communicate and interact with you, but theyre not old enough to think that they know everything. the second they turn 3 im over it. they turn into mini teenagers who still pee their pants at times.

cosmicfly

RedCatWaves wrote: »

Po wrote: »

I agree with RCW; the newborn stage is the best. Actually, I'd extend that to about 8 months.

They're rolling and crawling and getting into trouble by then. I like them as blobs.

I'm agreeing with you twice here, RCW. However, while I'm glad you like your 8 year old, I'm not feeling my (almost) 8 year old too much these days. I told him yesterday he's too young for teen angst. Ugh.

Kaia

My favorite so far was like 3-8 months. He started showing some personality, smiling, blowing bubbles, etc., but I could lay him down somewhere and he'd still be there when I came back. When he started crawling at 8 months, it totally threw me for a loop. I actually "lost" him a couple of times (usually under end tables). Don't get me worng, he's a LOT of fun now. He laughs at the silliest things, likes to "dance" (headbang) to music, "says" some pretty crazy-sounding stuff, but man is he a lot of work! Just when we think we've re-childproofed, we find him with something he wasn't supposed to be able to reach. And he's constantly squeezing himself into tight spaces (behind the couch, under chairs, on the shelves of the entertainment center), and then needs to be rescued when he gets stuck. It was definitely easier when he was a blob.

mad scientist

Neither of my kids crawled, so I loved them as happy sitting blobs between 8 months and 13 months.

I love the toddler stage: from age 2 and up. Like CGNYC said, I love that he is getting more independent, that we can have real conversations, and that we can actually enjoy activities together (going out to eat, watching a movie etc...).

RedCatWaves

cosmicfly wrote: »

RedCatWaves wrote: »

Po wrote: »

I agree with RCW; the newborn stage is the best. Actually, I'd extend that to about 8 months.

They're rolling and crawling and getting into trouble by then. I like them as blobs.

I'm agreeing with you twice here, RCW. However, while I'm glad you like your 8 year old, I'm not feeling my (almost) 8 year old too much these days. I told him yesterday he's too young for teen angst. Ugh.

It really depends on the kid. Out of 4, he is my only perfect child. He's been perfect since birth, not just now. I don't want it to end, but I know he may soon become poisoned with testosterone. Le sigh...

fuzzbucket

Harry was an early mover, so we didn't get much of that "staying put" time with him. I feel like we've been running after him and trying to keep him out of things for most of his life. I think I may enjoy the blob stage more with #2. Talk to me in 6 months, though!

Brown_Eyed_Girl

I'm really enjoying the sitting-but-not-crawling-yet stage right now. She babbles and smiles at everyone!

The newborn stage was actually pretty good baby-wise, but I had a hard time with all the postpartum hormones and adjusting to being a mom, so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. I do miss sitting in the rocking chair reading during our long nursing sessions, which now are 5-minute wigglefests! I miss how she would sleep anywhere and once she was asleep I could move her anywhere. I love playing together now, but I also miss not needing to entertain her either.

I think it's easy to start thinking the grass is greener on the other side.

Magoo

So far my favorite ages are around 6 months when they can sit and play but aren't too mobile and 18 months to 2 years old (I loved the toddler stage).

Now he's 3 and this has been the HARDEST stage so far. Definitely not enjoyable. Like another poster stated, he's going through this very verbal outspoken, defiant stage right now and I feel like all we do is butt heads all day. It's exhausting.
ITA Subbrock, it's like living with a freakin teenager!

LoloDSM

I love DD's age now (19 months), but I liked months 6-9 the best. She was still a baby, but she liked to play and read books. She was still breast feeding (broke my heart when she self-weaned) and I was still her favorite person in the whole wide world.

Now she's got stuff to do, people to see, and she's more independent. She isn't as snuggly or just happy to hang out.

nynaeve77

I'm loving my daughter's current age. I've pretty much enjoyed all of her phases, but now she's getting more independent and we have hilarious conversations. She's a little miss bossy pants when we play, and it cracks me up. She's also starting to clean up her own messes, finally! The other day, she started pushing the broom around the kitchen trying to clean up kitty kibble that the cats knocked out of their bowls. I was so proud, because just a couple months ago, she would have been trying to eat it.