Two Years of Us: What Motherhood Has Taught Me So Far

As we get ready to celebrate Talullah turning two this Friday, I’ve been thinking about just how much has changed since the day we brought her home. These last two years have been full of growth, hers and mine, and every stage has taught me something new about patience, connection, and balance.

Newborn to 6 Months, Finding Our Rhythm

Those first six months were all about learning together. I was breastfeeding, practicing light crib training, and eventually co-sleeping after she outgrew her bedside bassinet. We took precautions, talked to our pediatrician, and found what worked best for us. Usually we started the night with her in her crib and ended it snuggled beside me.

I remember those quiet 2 a.m. feedings when the whole house felt still except for the sound of her tiny breaths. There were nights when I was so tired I cried, and mornings when I woke up to her little hand gripping mine, reminding me what it was all for.

At four months, we started purées, then slowly introduced baby-led feeding. Tummy time, leg exercises, and supported sitting filled our days, all simple, Montessori-inspired play that encouraged movement and discovery. It was important to us that she knew both Mom and Dad. We each had our own play styles, mine more sensory and gentle, Luke’s more active and silly, and that balance helped her confidence grow. We also introduced baby sign language early, which became one of the sweetest ways she learned to communicate before words.

Looking back, those months taught me that parenthood isn’t about following every piece of advice perfectly, it’s about learning your child and trusting your instincts.

6 to 12 Months, Curiosity and Confidence

Once she hit six months, everything sped up. Crawling, pulling up, exploring. I can still see her face light up the first time she pulled herself to standing, her little legs wobbling but her grin steady. We spent lots of time outdoors and kept toys minimal but meaningful, stacking cups, wooden rings, sensory baskets. She had open shelving so she could choose what to play with, fostering early independence and confidence. She still breastfed but ate what we ate, joining us for family meals and learning through texture and color. Around this time, her routine became more predictable, though I always followed her cues instead of the clock, trusting her rhythm and our connection.

This season reminded me that structure can be helpful, but flexibility is where peace lives. Every baby has their own timeline, and mine was teaching me to slow down and celebrate the little moments.

12 to 18 Months, First Steps and New Worlds

This stage was all about movement and milestones. We encouraged walking without rushing it, and she took her first confident steps at 15 months. I still remember her letting of my friends Erica’s hand and taking her first independent steps! I had planned to stop breastfeeding at one year, but we continued until 15 months. It brought her comfort, strengthened our bond, and made soothing easier. Breastfeeding became more than feeding, it was our quiet time, our reset, our safe space. She also started preschool at the school where I worked, which was such a beautiful new chapter. Watching her play, share, and build friendships reminded me how much kids learn from one another. We’d attended Mommy and Me classes before that, which helped her adjust socially and emotionally. At home, we transformed her crib into a toddler bed with a rail, making bedtime feel exciting instead of scary. Even now, she occasionally sleeps with us, but starting that transition early and letting it be an experience, not a rule, made all the difference.

This stage taught me to let go of expectations. Growth doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Sometimes it’s a few steps forward and a stumble back, and that’s okay.

18 to 24 Months, Independence and Imagination

When her preschool closed, we found a new routine together. This stage has been full of emotions, exploration, and independence. She’s learned that she’s her own person, speaking in full sentences, playing solo, and expressing herself with a little sass and a lot of confidence. She can tell us what she wants, ask questions, and even comfort others. I don’t use baby talk with her. I explain things, offer choices, and use phrases like “take a break” or “relax, dude.” It’s helped her learn emotional regulation and confidence in communication. She still signs sometimes, especially in public when she’s shy, which melts my heart every time. Her days are full of learning and play. We do flashcards, read books, take little “field trips,” which are really just errands, and she’s starting to have sleepovers with grandparents. She eats like she’s fueling a growth spurt, which she probably is. At almost three feet tall, she’s growing faster than I can shop for. Her room has become her world, a space that’s truly hers, from her toddler bed to her toy kitchen and little table. She plays independently, builds imaginary worlds, and loves open-ended play. I don’t mind when her toys mix together, blocks in the fridge or dolls in the blanket basket, because that’s creativity at work.

This season has shown me how much children mirror our energy. When I slow down, she slows down. When I’m patient, she’s patient. It’s a constant reminder that she’s learning not just from what I say, but from who I am.

Closing Thoughts

These two years have been filled with trial and error, laughter and tears, sleepless nights and unforgettable mornings. Every phase brought new lessons, and every choice, from breastfeeding to Montessori play to gentle parenting, shaped not just her, but me too.

Motherhood has softened me and strengthened me at the same time. It’s taught me that perfection doesn’t exist, but presence does. That love can look like structure one day and grace the next. And that growth, for both of us, comes from simply showing up, again and again. Parenting doesn’t come with one right way. It comes with love, intention, and a whole lot of learning as you go. And I wouldn’t trade a second of it.

Written by May of Full Hands Full Heart

A reflection on two years of motherhood, learning, and the little moments that matter most. 10/10/23 changed my life for the better <3