How did my baby become a toddler?!

JJ is now 2 years and 4 months old. How in the world did my baby - the one I brought home from the hospital at two days old weighing 7 pounds - is now a nearly 2 1/2 year old, 30+ pound toddler? I don't know how time went by so fast...I mean, for most of my life, I've felt like life has trudged by. From the day I became a mom, it feels like time has gone faster and faster.

At this point in JJ's young life, he's growing by leaps and bounds. Now that he's got walking down, he's trying to run everywhere. He started using his words in the fall and, while not making full sentences yet, is learning new words everyday. That's made me watch my vocabulary even more than I did before because he will repeat EVERYTHING you say. The other day, he said 'crap' after I accidentally let it slip. That was the last time I let that one happen. It's exciting to see him learning and using words though...for the longest time, his ear issues made me think he'd be behind with his speech. Now, he's mumbling and using words all the time.

He's even learning his ABCs - his favorite book right now is Dr. Seuss' ABCs, and he's learning his letters and repeating the book back to me every time we read it. We've bought him toys beyond his age group to help him learn words and letters, and it seems to be working. He's learning how to untie and pull off his shoes, take on and off his clothes and brush his teeth. We're not potty training yet, but he's shown an interest in it. March was really, really crazy for us, so trying to potty train would have done us no good. Now that things are stable, I'll probably start potty training soon. I hope to have him completely potty trained by the time the next school year starts in August.

With him being my first child, everything is a new experience. Every action, ever word, every new thing he learns/does...it's all absolutely amazing to me. I just can't believe how much he's grown in two short years, how much he's changed. He still looks the same as the day he was born, but he's growing up right before my eyes. I love that little boy more and more every day, and he's taught me how to be more patient, more loving and more nurturing. A lot of days, I think that I don't deserve him. I thank God every day that I have a little man like JJ in my life - he makes it complete. I can't wait to see what kind of man he turns into as he grows up. Watching him get older will be bittersweet, but I will enjoy every moment of it.