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August 6, 2012 by: Shell

The Milestones that Make Mom’s Life Easier

Sure, we all know those baby milestones to look for: first smile, first time rolling over, sitting up, crawling, eating solid food, walking, etc. That first year is so full of milestones that someone got rich over the idea of baby books to document them all(even if not all of us fill those out… ahem).

But as our kids get older, we don’t often look at every milestone. Sure, we love when our houses are finally diaper-free(celebrating one year of being diaper-free in my house- after having one or even two in diapers for close to 7 years) or when they start preschool or kindergarten, but I think there are a few lesser known(aka the ones that make mom’s life easier) milestones that should be celebrated.

  • When all three kids can walk through a store without a stroller and without a cart and without running away.
  • Even better when they won’t run away at an amusement park or the beach.
  • When the oldest can make pb&js for himself and his brothers, without supervision.
  • When they can be left outside alone for longer than 5 seconds(might only be for a few minutes, but it’s long enough for a mama potty break- ah, peeing alone!).
  • When they can pour their own drinks without spilling.
  • When all kids can get themselves dressed.
  • When all kids can fasten their own seatbelts(we just hit this one this week!).

What milestone moments have made your life easier?

 

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Comments

  1. myevil3yearold says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:28 am

    I have a way to go but I am waiting on mowing the lawn.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:23 pm

      Oh, that will be so nice. And I’ll take a nap while they mow.

  2. Amanda M. says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:36 am

    The walking in the store without running off was a huge one for us. I can not take my daughter on those errand runs without stressing so much. She’ even getting into the differences of the stores and such. 

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:23 pm

      Such a relief, isn’t it? I still remind mine, but they are pretty good at just staying with me.

  3. JDaniel4's Mom says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:56 am

    I am waiting for the fasten your own seat belt milestone. I have the hardest time fastening JDaniel’s belt.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:24 pm

      I never really gave it much thought until all of a sudden, I didn’t have to do it any more. It’s nice with all these storms we’ve been having. I don’t have to get soaked!

  4. Leigh Powell Hines @Hinessightblog says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:58 am

    Things are getting easier in my camp, but I still have a two-year  old.  We’re not quite on the easy street yet, but it’s getting close.  Traveling is getting easier because we take less stuff. 

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:24 pm

      Oh, yes! Not having to take as much stuff is huge!

  5. Natalie says

    August 6, 2012 at 8:27 am

    Those are some great milestones! I always think of what life will be like when you don’t need a stroller or a cart to contain a kid…awww I’ve got a long way to that!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:25 pm

      You do- but you’ll get there. 🙂 I was there for a looong time. 

  6. Kmama says

    August 6, 2012 at 8:42 am

    I still won’t let them try to pour their own drinks!!  The buckling of the seat belt is just awesome.  Buster’s still in a 5 pt harness car seat in my car, and he can’t even reach the lever to loosen the straps, so it’ll be awhile before he accomplishes that one.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:25 pm

      Mine are all in backless boosters at this point, which is probably why they can do it. 

  7. Kerry Ann @Vinobaby's Voice says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:14 am

    I loved the ‘shower by himself (without me even having to mention it or be present) stage.’ That made my evenings SO much easier. I’m still waiting on the ‘tie shoes properly’ stage. Especially with school starting soon. Would be lovely.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      I’m waiting on the shoe-tying. Though my kindergartener can do it and my second grader can’t. Go figure.

  8. Megan (Best of Fates) says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:30 am

    Man, I could so go for a PB&J right now. Is the post suppose to make me hungry? ‘Cause if so, your mind control powers are growing.

    I’m quite envious.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      I never realized I had those powers! 

      • Megan (Best of Fates) says

        August 8, 2012 at 8:46 am

        Sure, sure, that’s what all evil masterminds say!

  9. Kim Young says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:36 am

    Those are great moments. We haven’t hit those yet, but some should be soon. 🙂

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:27 pm

      Can you tell I’m so done with the baby stage? LOL

  10. mare ball says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:41 am

    When they start school. HUGE milestone. When they can ride a two-wheeler. That’s such a thrill for them. When they can tie their own shoes. My kids are grown now, so of course, going off to college was a heart-breaker (for me, not them!)

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:27 pm

      Mine are trying to learn to ride bikes this summer. It’s fun to watch them.

  11. Alison says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:56 am

    I am so far off from any of these milestones 🙂

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:27 pm

      You’ll get there, sooner than it feels like!

  12. molly says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:31 am

    Oh yes, I am really enjoying some more “big kid” milestones. Landon turns four in two days and he wants to buckle himself into the carseat finally! He can also walk beside me in the grocery store, which is nice. I love that I don’t necessarily have to pick up Brigham anymore. He is two now and can walk on his own as long as someone is holding his hand in the parking lot.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:28 pm

      I love that stage when they don’t need to be carried all the time but they are still small enough to carry if we have/want to. I can’t carry my oldest any more. 

  13. Kristen says

    August 6, 2012 at 11:23 am

    I would say my favorite milestone so far is making their own lunch. Lunch is my least favorite meal to make (probably because I just grab a yogurt for myself). Now, they just ask what their options are and I let them choose, make and clean up their own lunch. It is awesome!
    They don’t do it every day but the days they do are like a little piece of heaven on earth.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:29 pm

      It is awesome to just tell them to go do it. 🙂 

  14. Ashley {@} My Front Porch Swing says

    August 6, 2012 at 11:41 am

    Sigh. I’m just hitting many of these. And then starting over.

    Oops.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:35 pm

      But your other two will be past these. I was the crazy person with three so close in age that I was buckling all 3 into seatbelts for a while. And I pottytrained the oldest 2 weeks before the youngest was born: so I had a ton of time with 2 in diapers.

  15. Shannon says

    August 6, 2012 at 11:55 am

    Definitely “taking a bath/shower by themselves” and “going outside to play in the yard by themselves”.

    I need to work on getting my girls to do their own laundry.  THAT would be a huge help!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:36 pm

      Oh, yes! And can they fold and put mine away, too? Maybe I should teach them to iron…

  16. Mary @ A Teachable Mom says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    How did I miss the seat belt buckling milestone? My four year old shows no interest or capacity for it! I’ll check it out with her doc today at her four-year-old checkup – maybe there’s a shot for that? I think making lunches is the milestone I’ll enjoy the most. Great post!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:37 pm

      Ha! I think my youngest waited for that one b/c it was just so much faster for me to do it. Or for me to tell one of his brothers to do it. 😉 

  17. Tracie says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    That seatbelt one is a biggie.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:37 pm

      It is! It means no standing out in the rain, buckling a seatbelt. I can just get into the car!

  18. Courtney Kirkland says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:38 pm

    I’m loving the “can get his own box of juice and open it” milestone right now. Noah’s almost 4 and when he hit that one a while back I thought I was in heaven. He’s reaching the “can get snacks from the cabinet and bring them to be opened” phase, too. Which I love. 

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:38 pm

      So much easier when they start being able to do some things on their own!

  19. Duffy says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    I’m still waiting for one.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:38 pm

      I hear ya. They’re coming. When my youngest was born, I had a new two year-old and a 3.5 y/o. I thought I’d be in the baby phase forever. It passes, I promise.

  20. Katie E says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:52 pm

    These are so so true! I don’t think I realized it until I had a third kid after the first two had made it past most of those milestones. Starting at the beginning with another kid is so much harder once you feel like you’ve moved past that point as a parent, but it can be fun, too! One of our favorites (mine and the kids’) is moving out of car seats. Both  my girls are out of the car seats now, and it makes them so happy. Easier for me, too. 

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:40 pm

      Mine came one right after another, so I was just up to my eyeballs in the baby stage for so long!

  21. Tayarra says

    August 6, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Ah, yes! I’m waiting for a few of these! Wyatt and making his own sandwich and/or drink has got to be the most helpful! I love when he is in a helpful mood and will do so for his bros as well!!!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      I do love that! Though sometimes I just tell my oldest he HAS to. I think he only spits in theirs a teeny bit. 😉 

  22. Jackie says

    August 6, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    You know…. now that 3 of my kids are older I don’t think about those type of milestones like I did when they were little. Of course I started over again and am remembering so many of them now… 

    Best milestone yet this year…. my oldest daughter getting her drivers license and a car!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      Oh, that’s awesome! Drive the others around!

  23. Diana @ A Little Bit of Life says

    August 6, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    I’m still waiting on those milestones. We just stayed potty training. Last night, I could tell he had to pee so Daddy took him to use the potty. Naked. He cried and didn’t go. Then ran out and peed on the dining room floor.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      Oh wow, that’s early for potty training! Good luck!!!

  24. MiMi says

    August 6, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    When they can all, and actually WILL wipe their own butts! 🙂

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:41 pm

      The will part is what takes a while. 

  25. Keri says

    August 6, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    So far I think walking beside me at the store instead of riding in the cart has been one of the best. Looking ahead, I’ll be glad when they are old enough to stay home alone for an hour. Finding a good babysitter is hard!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:42 pm

      Oh, that will be so nice! So I can run to the store for one quick thing and not have to take them all with me!

  26. John says

    August 6, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    You know, the thought of my kids being able to feed and/or dress themselves is just unfathomable at the moment, nevermind being diaper free.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:42 pm

      You’ll get there! 🙂 

  27. Twingle Mommy says

    August 6, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    I’m waiting on the everyone can bath themselves milestone. That one will be AWESOME! I’ll settle for the everyone can buckle their own seatbelt until then. That would be nice, but I think I’m still a year away.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:50 pm

      Mine can sort of bathe themselves. I can’t totally leave it up to them, but I’m in more of a director position than the one with the washcloth. Baby steps.

  28. AnnMarie says

    August 6, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    This post reminds me that I hit all of the little milestones and was on my way to being on Easy Street when God decided to give us our little miracle. Now I am starting ALL over again. The being able to shower was a huge one here with the older three.

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:51 pm

      But it’s different with the baby, isn’t it? The milestones are bittersweet. 

      • AnnMarie says

        August 6, 2012 at 9:06 pm

        Totally bittersweet.

  29. Dawn @ Come Over For Coffee says

    August 6, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Amen!! Those are all major deals! Another fave is ending my time in Half Day Hell – having all boys in full day school. I’m hitting that one in September. No more picking someone up at noon. All 3 will be on the bus both ways. I’ve been living for that moment for 10.5 years!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:52 pm

      My youngest will be in half day school still this fall- but it will be FIVE half days, so I’ll take it! 

  30. Audrey says

    August 6, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    I can’t wait to get to those milestones!

    • Shell says

      August 6, 2012 at 5:52 pm

      They come faster than you think!

  31. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    I loved it when they could take a bath by themselves, but sometimes I still sat there and chatted with them because it was fun. It was also really nice when they could zip up their own coats!

  32. NJ says

    August 6, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    The one I look forward to the most is learning to ride a bike. But we’re still a little way from that!

  33. Missy |Literal Mom says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    The fastening seatbelts thing is huge – and has happened this summer here too!

  34. Foursons says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:17 pm

    Bathing themselves was a huge one for me! I also love that I no longer have to worry about them running off in public while I frantically chase them down.

  35. Suzie says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    I’m just starting out, unfortunately. I guess a milestone we hit this past week was going down to one nap a day, which allows me to be out and about for longer periods of time, but also leaves me wondering what to do to entertain my son now. Peeing alone. Someday! 🙂

  36. Greta says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    Oh, man. Right now, it’s always two or three of the four that can do something (like buckle themselves in). But wow, it gets easier as each one learns something! I’m just happy to only have one in diapers!

  37. Patricia P says

    August 7, 2012 at 8:06 am

    Those are all great milestones. We’ve just hit the one of having a child old enough to babysit. It makes my life so much easier to be able to run to a doctor’s appointment without bringing all three kids along with me.

  38. Kimberly says

    August 7, 2012 at 9:32 am

    Yes I would agree those are all great milestones! We’ve recently hit most of them in the last year. Still can’t trust my littles to not run away in places but most of the others we can do and boy does it make life easier!

  39. Kimberly says

    August 7, 2012 at 9:34 am

    I just noticed on your “About Me” how you say you’re not trying for a girl. Love that  you put it right out there! People always ask me if we’re going to try for a boy (we have 4 girls). My response is that we already did! We’re done too. I’m tired. 🙂

  40. angela says

    August 7, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Even just having ONE be able to buckle herself has made things easier for me. I think the two of them playing together has helped a lot, too 🙂

  41. Amber says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:23 am

    The fact that the kids can go to the bathroom on their own has really helped me out. Diaper changes were never fun.

  42. Charlene Long (@autismasawhole) says

    August 7, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    My 6 yr old can now sit in the bathroom without getting into trouble while I take a shower!!! Yippee

  43. Single Mom in the South says

    August 7, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    You hit most of them…trying to think of others… when they can work the DVD player on long trips in the car so I don’t have to pull over to change the movie!

  44. Not a Perfect Mom says

    August 7, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    my boys are now in charge of sweeping and vacuuming….sweet sweet victory…

  45. Ness says

    August 7, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Those milestones DO sound pretty nice to me. Although right now I would settle for ‘sleeps through the night more than a couple of nights a month’. 

  46. Paula @ Simply Sandwich says

    August 7, 2012 at 7:30 pm

    Huge milestone when they can make their breakfast and lunch! Narrows it down to one meal for this busy mama! 🙂

  47. Runnermom-jen says

    August 7, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    Shell, those are great milestones to look forward to 🙂 

  48. stephanie @ babe's rockin' mami says

    August 7, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    As happy as I am to be pregnant again, a little part of me is going ‘omg I’m an idiot, now I have to do this baby crap all over again!’ haha.  

  49. ilene says

    August 7, 2012 at 10:11 pm

    I have 3 kids close in age and the youngest is now 4.  The “no stroller” thing was huge and now, I can go to the town pool and actually sit on my chair for 10-15 minutes without having to chase anyone.  I can watch them all swim i the small pool from the side without having to get in.  That’s HUGE! 

  50. Susi says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    A lot of these sure make life easier. It’s the little things. One of mine was when my boy was old enough to take the dog for a walk by himself.  It helps that he can go here and there when I can’t do it. 

  51. Alexandra says

    August 8, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Oh, this is SUCh an easy one, and your day will come, Shell…it will.
    When you can begin to leave them alone for an hour at a time.

  52. Julie says

    August 12, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    Since my oldest 2 are almost 8 and 5.5 and my youngest is almost 2 I feel like I have hit a lot of milestones with my older two and now we are going back and having to wait for the baby to hit them.  Like the oldest two won’t run in the street, they can make themselves breakfast, they can play out back, they can go to the bathroom on their own, etc.  The age difference has been interesting for me. 

Welcome to Things I Can't Say: Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom. I'm Shell. Boy mom, beach girl, bookworm, ball games, baker, brand ambassador, Thinking yoga, food, and travel should start with "b," too. Finding the easiest way to do some things while overthinking so many others. Read More…

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