Trapped toddler parents of the fabled Winter 2020/2021. Puddle suits at the ready..hello Christmas!

[footprintsintheslow]

New thread as the other one is running out.

A place to find find and share ideas of how to get through these crazy times with lockdowns and babies and toddlers.

New members welcome.

Haha @MessAllOver felt like a right criminal as I poured us all hot chocolate from the flask I’d stashed under the pram!

I think I’ll probably get one of those dome climbing frames, we’ve got a big back garden and he loves climbing and making dens.

Oh no @mummabear, I've lost many a treat to my dog. It's gutting.

Ive put crosses on the floor in masking to make stepping stones for DS to jump between. It's doing a good job at using up some energy. DD is enjoying picking it off the floor so win win

Ffs.

Braved the big woods. Was it frozen? Was it fuck. Only place that wasn't. Still as muddy as the Somme

Had to turn back halfway because it was just so impossible, and the girls were such moans.

DD1- my toe hurts
DD2- MY KNEE OUCHY
DD1- My jaw still won't crack
DD2- MY KNEE VERY SORE
DD1- God it's cooold
DD2- MY EYES STINGY

Then I looked down, and lo and behold, DD1, proud owner of a very good and expensive pair of hiking boots, and a les expensive but equally effective pair of wellies, who lives in the country, who was a Scout, who climbed her first mountain aged 7...

...... Was wearing the nice, new, shiny fucking fashion boots Santa brought her TWO WEEKS AGO.

About turn. Retreat. Fml. I'm going to have to rethink this, I can't be doing this every weekend between now and the end of February. I'm this close to doing what everyone on MN says not to, and going on a family trip to Tesco next weekend

I say every week, because we go for a walk around the little woods every day, but keep the big woods for the weekend when DH is home. We're bored to death with all of them though.

I keep looking back at photos from last march where me and toddler are in the back garden with the sand table, washing on the line and the sun is out! March isn't that far away, please hurry up march!!!!

Those dome climbing frames do look good.
I got the to explorer den climbing crumb last summer and it's great! It can be set at two different heights, be used with or without the den and can have a slide and monkey bars attached. I've got the slide set up seperately but will attach it to the climbing frame when it's on the higher setting.

TP explorer not to

Here’s what our walk today looked like - this was about 10.30 this morning! There was a fair bit of slipping and sliding in the mud too. Toddler loves being in the carrier. The final 200m we made him walk took almost as long as the rest of the 2 mile walk...

I’ve got my eye on one of those climbing frames too. Just need the weather to ease up enough that we can spend a couple of days clearing out the patch of garden I’ve got my eye on for a kid zone (it currently has an old wooden gazebo hidden under a 2ft deep covering of clematis, I’m amazed it hasn’t fallen down yet).

We've spent the rest of the day rescuing toys and sequins/shells/acorns from the ice blocks I made last night, that went down really well actually. Then we went for a walk and took a boat grape tray to float along a little stream, back via a playground and now chilling with some TV and a hot chocolate.

Where abouts in the country are you @WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere? I love foggy Misty weather.

I intended to freeze stuff last night @meow1989 but I forgot in the excitement of dream feeding DD instead

I’ve managed to get the baby to nap, DP is upstairs sorting out the utter hovel that is his office and DS is sat watching Zog on the iPad, so I’ve done a work out, my thighs utterly hate me.

We’re in Northamptonshire. Can’t yet tell whether it’s a really foggy place or we just happen to have had loads of fog since moving in this summer! I drove to the shop in the next village and didn’t go above 30 because the visibility was so bad.

@meow1989 sounds like a lovely day! I’ve not tried freezing things yet, maybe will go for it tonight.

Can I join please? Single mum to a 15 month old, due with my 2nd in April! We live in a flat so are stuck for things to do

Can I play? I'm hiding from my 3yo right now because I want some peace and quiet. DH is sulking because DD asked HIM to change her pooey nappy and I ought to take everyone for a walk in the healthy fresh air but it's -4 and getting everyone dressed is such a pain in the arse.

I am really struggling at the moment with a nearly 2yo and 4yo. We’ve fortunately still got nursery and a school place but no wraparound so the older one is ignored for the afternoon while she trashes the house. We’ve basically just spent today trying to tidy while they trash a different room. We were all a bit stir crazy after Christmas and just desperate to do something that isn’t a sodding walk in the cold.

My resilience is shot to pieces after the period of working while looking after both of them. I just don’t have as much in the tank as I did last year. As soon as hotels open, I’d love to just book myself in for a weekend of peace.

@Tiquismiquis I feel ya! I am so sick of being cold and that or being stuck inside with 2 kids as being my only decisions. I live near a forest, but now its 'closed' and police are fining people who travel to it, so I am stuck in my town which has 1 walk that isnt in estates or the highstreet, and of course it is jammers constantly, so not an option if you want to SD. My choices are 2 playgrounds, over and over again. Its so tough! But, I suppose I take some comfort from knowing I am not the only one suffering. We all are. Which is why this thread is so lovely really. Its supportive and has great ideas.

After this I'm not going to go for a walk for a very long time. I'm moving into soft play.

Oh soft play. The idea of being in one sounds amazing. My 21m old has never played in one which is a bit sad for her really. I think she’ll be so excited when she can finally use one.

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere it’ll be a random anomaly hopefully, blame the weather on covid.

Oh god. Shove the kids into soft play, drink an over priced machine coffee under strip lighting. HEAVEN.
And a hotel room. Oh gods. Even just a premier inn on a random Wednesday sounds amazing. A clean bed, that I’ve not made. No other fucker there to need me or to touch me. Bliss.

Me and DS3 have just had a shower together, he cleaned the bubbles off my sponge with his piss. Joy.

@MummaBear4321 I've laughed at the dog so much! What a bastard though!

I also get excited to speak to strangers now...such a thrill.

@Motherofmonsters that's a great masking tape idea.

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere do you live in a Lowri painting?

@buttacups welcome to the thread. I was a single mum for 14 years and it has definite pros and cons.

Today was the last day the tuff spot is allowed out as I temporarily want the space for when the baby arrives. It feels wonderful putting it back out in the garden as every time you pack it up it feels like that feeling you get when the Christmas tree leaves the house.

Toddler had a good final hoorah though. Make animal food I said....

Whatbos the general feeling on playfoam please? He's anyone got any? Kinetic sand has gone down very well in this house, already have normal play sand and playdoh too. Thought playfoam may be a nice change but feedback first please from you wise mumsnetters!

Anyone else torn between thinking you need to go for a walk and also not being able to face another one. I used to love going for a mooch but I've exhausted them all. DS is now saying let's stay home

We should be at PIL's having a big roast while they entertain the children, that's usually our Sundays

@Motherofmonsters my DD sat on the ground 6 houses down from has on Thursday and refused to move. She just cried and shouted 'coooooold'. I couldnt blame her. It was 1 degree out, but she had been banging in the patio door all morning. She also moans when we go past nursery and she cant go in. Poor kid.

@PinkDaydreams. We haven't tried it here but might have a go! Seems like the sort of thing DS would like... he's very tactile (I think that's the right word?)