My daughter is turning two this month. But if you knew her, I wouldn’t have to tell you this. You’d just know.

You’d know from the outfit she’s wearing, because she insisted on picking it out herself. You’d know from the fact that she has cookie crumbs on her cheek at school drop-off at 8am, because little mama wasn’t eating anything else, and you couldn’t bear the thought of her flying into a hungry rage at school. You’d know from the fact that we arrive at any location sans shoes and socks, because apparently, these don’t “feel good” in the car.

The thing is though, this stage, difficult and trying as it may be from time to time, has actually proved to be hilarious. She’s learning and growing by the minute, it seems, and with this, comes some of the funniest moments I’ve ever experienced.

I heard from friends that this stage would be the most enjoyable, and I quickly learned this based on the hilarity that ensues by the fiery need for independence, that burns deep within each toddler. That unrelenting insistence of trying things on their own, refusing to take any help in any form, and relishing in the messes they create for us.

And you learn that every moment with a toddler is like a walking (or stumbling) comedy routine. That with each disaster that ensues, you fall more and more in love.

That unrelenting insistence of trying things on their own, refusing to take any help in any form, and relishing in the messes they create for us.