Being a toddler can be tough

Like for instance, today when we were walking to the butterfly exhibit. On the long trek from the parking lot to the building he came to a dead stop.

"I want picked up Daddy," he said.

We explained to him that he was getting too big to get carried. He shot us the saddest look I've ever seen. With a quivering lip and big sad eyes he said, "No, I'm not too big!!!" The look was enough to break anyone's heart.

Lately we've been having a lot of these sorts of conversations. One the one hand, he's proud of all of his big boy accomplishments (i.e. pulling himself up onto the play structure by himself, peeing into the toilet, taking off his own shoes, pulling his pants up and down, drinking juice out of a martini glass etc...).

On the other hand, being a baby has its advantages too (i.e. total lack of responsibility). Often he'll pretend he's a baby and ask to be carried, rocked and wrapped up in a blanket. And then he'll proclaim, "I'm not a big boy, I'm a baby."

I guess when it comes down to it, he'll always be my baby.