We Ditched the Diapers, Pacifier, Nap, and Stroller—and Lived to Tell
“Emily’s a baby! Emily’s a baby!” chanted my twins’ 1st-grade classmate. “I’m not a baby. I’m 4 years old,” my preschooler rebutted matter-of-factly. Thank goodness she has thick skin . Unfortunately, my two-year-old is a sponge for good and bad behavior, so she parroted back, “Emily’s a baby!” “I’m not a baby. You’re the baby,” Emily replied. “You’re two.” “I’m not a baby. I’m a big girl. I’m two and-a-half ,” my toddler insisted. The other day, my two-year-old even went so far as to march around the apartment, exclaiming, “I’m bigger than you!” to all siblings and parents in sight. At 35″, that clearly wasn’t true. But it highlights the yearning my littlest one has to measure up to her older siblings as she transitions from baby to child. My older kids understand that sometimes it’s appropriate to give their sister what she’s crying for or grabbing at just because she’s little. But as her third birthday approaches, she can’t play that card much longer