Favorite age for kids?

[Whit]

      When I was a single parent with three month old kid I hated it. The kid had a strange power over me that made me do it anyway but it was no fun for me. I hated the late night feeding and diaper changes. Still hated it when my daughter came around.
      Now when they hit the toddler stage things picked up. They could interact a lot more, have simple conversations and, of course, play. I mean really play not paw at something a pretty color. Most kids this age love to be tossed around and I love to be the one throwing them. It's a fun age. Fun age for me.
      Then we have the kid stage. The age they're going to school learning new things you have nothing to do with. They can have a real conversation with you, albiet a simple one. And questions, lots and lots of questions. They still like to roughhouse, but it's not so easy anymore. Also a good stage. I enjoy the questions, and I still get to roughhouse.
      Then we have the newest name for a stage the 'Preteen'. Gah. You know they're using foul language on the play ground. They start demanding privacy. Probably the first age where they question a parents competancy. Oh yeah, and this is also the age when most start getting really curious about sex. Talking about sex with your kid sucks every bit as much as talking about sex with your parents. I like the higher level conversations and the more complex questions, but damn this stage is harder.
      Then comes the (Please add horror movie music in your head) dread Teens. They hate you and think all adult are stupid and don't understand. Okay that's an overstatement. They may well be tolerant of you. Come'on though, we know what we were like when we were teens. Shouldn't have to say any more. My kids aren't there yet, so I have no more to say.

So the queston is, what's your favorite age for a kid?