What to Love About Your Child at Every Age

The clumsy toddler walk, the angelic sleeping faces, the fierce, sticky hugs -- what's not to love about a 1-year-old?

Little scientists Between 12 and 24 months, toddlers are walking, talking sponges, soaking in the world through all their senses. Becky Miller loves watching her son, 18-month-old Zachary, experience everyday sights and sounds that adults take for granted. "The other day he was outside and suddenly squatted down, pointing at the ground," says the St. Louis, Missouri, mom. "I went to look at what he found so fascinating -- it was an ant! He was just following it, laughing and talking to himself. That kind of wonderment and discovery is absolutely priceless."

Nonstop milestones For ones, changes happen almost daily, says Thomas Hobson, director of child life at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, in Memphis, and the father of 3-year-old twins Andrew and Lauren. "It's such an exciting time, filled with so many incredible milestones. They're taking their first steps, saying their first words -- it's all new to them." Kim Lybrand says her 22-month-old daughter, Ashlyn, seems to be in a constant state of flux. "I put her down for a nap, and when she gets up she literally looks different," says the Charleston, South Carolina, mom. "I swear her cheeks are less chubby, and she looks more like a little girl than a baby."

Language explosion Ones are picking up language at an incredible rate, Hobson says, even if they don't speak clearly yet. "They are continually absorbing new words and phrases. They especially love learning names of friends and family." Miller recently heard Zachary wake from his nap and waited for a moment to listen. "Instead of crying out for me, he was talking to himself," she says. "He was just lying there testing out his new words: 'no way'; 'hoop,' meaning basketball; 'frog'; 'Lilly,' our dog's name; 'lawn mower.' It was absolutely adorable."

Kiss, kiss, touch, touch Toddlers are entranced by sensory experiences; they love to feel soft and bumpy textures of fabric, toys, clothing. As a toddler, my youngest child, Mary Elena, adored stroking my hair. It was her lovey when she felt sleepy or needed comfort. (Even now, at 4, if she's having a rough day, she'll still cuddle up and say, "I need hair to hold.") And once toddlers move from blowing kisses to actually planting them, they like to practice on everyone and everything: stuffed animals, their shoes, an unsuspecting parent. Forget George Clooney -- what kiss is more appealing than a slobbery, enthusiastic one from a toddler -- especially when he grabs your cheeks firmly with both chubby hands and smacks you right on the lips?