What's the easiest age?

[rosebaby]

My DS is about six and a half months old, and I think this age is just angelic. He's curious and happy and outgoing and responsive. He can entertain himself but can't really get around yet to get into everything. And he's started sleeping well at night.

Every stage with him so far has been easier than the last...but I wonder whether his easiness is a bell curve just waiting to peak and nosedive? Does it go downhill at any point and they start getting difficult again (aside from when they're teenagers, obviously)? Does anyone with older babies look back wistfully at an easier age?

[~rambox~]

Lmao have you not heard of the terrible twos omg that is a hard time.

6mths - 12mths is a beautiful age they think they are so clever when they learn something new and the look on there face is priceless.

[Little Gorilla]

For me, I found the easiest was 0-6 months...my DS slept through the night from about 4 weeks.

And then the next easiest is now, DS just turned 2 and he is an absolute pleasure nearly everyday....all my hard work with manners, teaching him how to do things, answering all his questions, explaining things to him etc etc is starting to pay off. I just love this age...he really has become my little matey.:kiss: :hugs:

[babylover111]

In my opinion with the ages I have worked with I'd say the easiest age 6 months up until they learn how to walk and get into absolutely everything!

[aardvark]

Before they are on the move is easiest, and the part I enjoy most.

I have a teenager, and I assure, once they start moving under their own power, it's a slippery slope, LOL!! They cost more to run when they are older, too.

[Melo]

I love the newborn stage!! DD is 7 weeks and such a delight, shes so smiley, happy and very sleepy :D

[mumx3littlies]

I really loved the newborn stage as well - theres nothing like a gorgeous new bubba. Then the 6-12 month stage is fab before they into everything and starting to say NO to everything!:D

corriene

[mum33]

DS turned into a :devil6: after 6 months. got worse from 12 months. dreading the terrible twos. :banghead:

[cheezelkat]

I found the first 6 weeks awful (our sleep problems started then), and from 6 months (and still now) to be amazing.

Yesterday Liam shoved his tongue out at me through the shower glass and he was delighted when I did the same back. he loves everything!

[misskittyfantastico]

Every stage and age has challenged me (:crying: ) but I find the older Amelia gets, the more I can reason and communicate with her the better it has been.

[mum2bubba]

I think there are pros and cons to all ages I must say though a baby for me was easiest (I mean Hayley as a baby) she is almost 2 and a half now and starting to test the boundaries, though she is pretty easy to look after (well most of the time anyway)

[MammaMia]

I don't look back and pine for any time... there are times when it is easier than others, but at every stage, there are delights!

For instance, at the moment, my 4 yo DS is striking another blow for independence...which involves telling me he doesn't want to do what I've just reasonably asked him to do. Unnecessary combat for my money. But on the flip side, this is the same child who will throw his arms around my neck, plant a kiss on my cheek and tell me that I am his best friend. This is the boy who comes out with the most perceptive comments on life, and is so enthused by all that it holds.

I wouldn't go forward waiting for the magic tricky number...hopefully there will be moments, not entire ages!

[rosebaby]

You're right - I'm a pessimist. It's just that he's such an absolute delight right now I can't ever imagine he could be any more perfect! Ahhhh, I'm just in love with my baby :p

And just because here seems as good a place as any to write this, today as I was feeding Jack his mushed up zucchini, he decided that he'd sneakily deposit it on the side of his high chair when he thought I wasn't looking. Every time I put a spoonful in he'd slowly, carefully edge his mouth to the side of the chair and craftily let it drop from his mouth, all the while keeping one eye on me in case I caught him. I cracked up - I was sitting about ten centimetres away from him and was watching him do it the whole time, but he thought he was being really cunning :laughing:

[buzzing bee]

I don't think there is an easier age, depends on what you like really and what type of baby/toddler you have.

[~Emmylou~]

My DD was really, really easy from birth until 18 months. From 18 months until she turned two I could have quite happily put her on eBay :eek:
Recently she has gotten alot easier and is starting to communicate really well and she makes me laugh alot now so that's nice too.

DS is just on 5 months and I also love this age....he's starting to interact alot and he's always sooooo happy to see everyone and he hardly ever cries. I'm really enjoying him.

And of course the newborn stage with both of them I really loved, but it's over so quickly....I really tried to savour it with DS because I knew it would be gone in a blink.

[SassyMummy]

I dunno if it gets easier once they exit toddlerhood, but OMG my DD was SO much easier when she was a a baby!

She's 19 months old now, and while she's fairly easy-going and easy to deal with... she still really tests my patience. She's crazy, active, naughty (often intentionally) and is just WAY more difficult than she has been.

I always used to hear people whinging about coping with new babies... but IMO, that's the easiest time ever. They cry for an actual reason, they sleep often (even if they don't sleep at the times you'd prefer) and they pretty much need love, food and nappy-changes in between the sleeping. So VERY easy.

Then when they're a toddler, not only do they seem to suffer some sort of personality-transformation, but they will refuse things they want, just because... and then cry about it. They want it, but they don't... so they toss themselves backwards, screaming and crying. There's pretty much nothing you can do but try to make sure they won't hurt themselves... and even that can be a challenge. They climb, they hurt you (DD like to dig her nails into my face and into my gums! OUCH!), and they just aren't as loving as they used to be.

At the same time though, I find DD so much more interesting than when she was younger because she's actually like a little person. She seems to learn some really amazing stuff, and it's great to see how intelligent she's become so very quickly. She's got a REAL personality now... not like babies, which seem either happy, sad or neutral. DD can be angry, sad, annoyed, happy, silly, loving... she has much more versatility now.

So for me, newborn is super easy peasy. But I also find them pretty boring (and kinda ugly). The more difficult DD has gotten, the more interesting she's also become...

[rosebaby]

.

So for me, newborn is super easy peasy. But I also find them pretty boring (and kinda ugly).

:laughing: I enjoy your refreshing (and courageous!) honesty!

[motherhoodlmb]

The easiest stage??.... the day they start primary school and they're out of your hair for 5 days a week...:laughing: though my oldest hasn't gone to school for 5 days a week yet, he has Wednesday's off in Feb. This is his last Wednesday off and he is taunting his little brother and there's lots of screaming...:eek:

[babyboo]

6 - 12mths was my favourite. Such a lovely age (apart from the teething of course)

[Littletreasures]

DS turned into a :devil6: after 6 months. got worse from 12 months. dreading the terrible twos. :banghead:

i agree ... i just loved the 0 - 6 month age it was the best its just to bad we cant make them stay that little for longer