Well friends, I have officially made it through my first year being a toddler mama. I feel there should be some sort of badge (a colorful one, with confetti and party hats) for making it this far. There should probably also be some sort of banner that says “Keep Going, Mama. The work has just begun!” It has been a whirlwind year. At the beginning of the year, we had a boy who could barely toddle. Now we have a two-year-old full of life and energy. The toddling is long gone, and in its place is independence, confidence, and bravery. Truly, the work has just begun.
It’s crazy to think about how much growth can happen in just a year. We’ve seen it visibly in a growing toddler body and a growing baby belly. We’ve also seen it in the unmeasurable growth of independence, self-discipline, humor, and joy. Let’s dive into the memories made, the lessons learned, and my musings on 2024.
Memories Made, Big and Small
Life is made of big moments and small moments. I think the big moments propel us forward and push us on, but the small, everyday moments are where we are formed. These early years are full of big moments that make for the best memories. Our toddler boy learned how to walk and began to talk. He learned to climb and jump and scooter. He took several big trips, including a trip to Disney World and his first sleepovers with his grandparents. He became a big brother and began learning how to share life with a new human.
These big moments are the memories that will last a lifetime for this mama. They motivate me to continue on with joy because the moments of great growth are coming and worth it. The moments of exploring new places and watching our kids’ faces light up with amazement are coming and worth it. But we can’t forget the big moments that come with struggle and hardship, like navigating communication when your toddler has a speech delay. Will we allow these struggles to pull us back or push us forward? The choice is ever before us.
The small moments are where formation happens – both for our toddlers and for us. When I think about the small moments of 2023, I think about the countless hours spent outside and on the playground (okay, not actually countless. There were 856 of them!). I think of stroller walks, reading board books, building with blocks, and cooking together. These everyday moments are the ones that require the most discipline. Will we stick to the routine that helps our family the most? Will we seek to discipline, guide, and train consistently? Will we do the dishes, cook the meal, or start the laundry while chaos ensues around us? Our habits, our everyday moments, form us.
Lessons Learned, Formation in Motherhood
On New Year’s Eve, Micah and I got a little time to go on a date together. We ate brunch at one of our favorite spots and took a long walk on the beach. As we walked, we reflected on the memories and lessons of this year. This year was a year for us to grow in self-discipline. In my motherhood journey, I had to learn how to balance training a toddler, keeping my house in order, finding time to get in the Word, and growing a tiny human. I have constantly reminded myself that all of this is a process of growth, not an overnight transformation. As a mother, I learned to commit to keep going and to get back up when I mess up. It is easy to get discouraged when the dishes keep piling up, my quiet time is consistently interrupted and far from quiet, and my toddler refuses to clean up his toys for the fourteenth time in a day. But Scripture encourages us to keep going:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)
I am not the first mama who has walked the road of mothering and discipling toddlers. I will not be the last. It is an act of faith to “run with perseverance,” and when we look to Jesus, who completed his task with complete faithfulness, we “will not grow weary and lose heart.” In 2023, I learned that self-discipline is an act of faithfulness and perseverance that is worth it because the formation of our toddlers’ hearts is worth it.
Musings on 2024
As we leave 2023 and enter 2024, my main goal is to continue in growth of self-discipline. Here are three practical resources I will be using to help me (the links below are affiliate links):
- “Sacred Seasons” by Danielle Hitchen – This year we will be walking through the seasons of the church year as a family for the first time. We want the rhythms of the story of God to impact the rhythms of our family life and to shape and form our children. We have already begun using this resource for the seasons of Advent and Christmastide. Our favorite part is the Sunday Morning Liturgies we do during breakfast every Sunday (complete with lighting a candle to signal that it’s time to listen. What toddler doesn’t love fire?).
- “Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship” by Jonathan Gibson – I used this devotional to help guide my daily worship in 2023, and I will continue to do so in 2024. I love the consistency and routine it brings to my devotional life. I typically read this in the mornings while Simeon plays, so it looks more chaotic than peaceful most days, but I believe we mamas of littles need to find ways to get in the Word however we can.
- 1000 Hours Outside – Y’all, this challenge is one of the best decisions I could’ve made for myself and for Simeon. We are in our second year of completing this challenge, running August-July. Building rhythms of getting outside changes our moods and challenges our bodies. I am a firm believer that going outside can solve most of our toddlers’ problems. You can join the challenge by printing out a chart at 1000hoursoutside.com and downloading the 1000 Hours Outside app.
May 2024 be a year of growth, figuratively and literally, as we seek to be self-disciplined mamas who continue on with faithfulness and perseverance. How will you seek to be more self-disciplined in 2024? Let me know in the comments below!