Trapped toddler parents: puddlesuits splashing towards spring

[WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere]

All guardians of toddlers welcome, we offer ideas, activities, and a shoulder to lean on when it all gets too much. We’ve conquered winter, next stop spring!

Continuing from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4105179-trapped-toddler-parents-of-the-fabled-winter-2020-2021-puddle-suits-at-the-ready-hello-christmas?pg=1

@BertieBotts I could write your post a few times a week. There's just no way to get toddlers to see sense is there. Write the day off and fresh start tomorrow.

Calpol has been given here.

@footprintsintheslow I’m a practice nurse and give the immunisations when I’m not on mat leave. Which set was it? If they were given the oral drops for rotavirus they can really cause a runny bum for a good few days (it’s also a live virus so hand hygiene is important to make sure you don’t ingest any)

Paracetamol is recommended on the first and third sets of baby imms at 8 and 16 weeks due to men B, it’s known to cause a fever. It can be given anyway if you think babe needs it, they might just feel a bit yucky anyway due to the imms. I generally tell parent to expect a grumpy baby for 24 hrs but that they can feel a bit rotten for a good few days.
Loose stool following rotavirus imms is common, but if babe is in pain, being sick or having poo’s that are like red currant jelly you must seek immediate medical attention, any other concerns over the weekend I’d call 111 if you’re worried x

@MonkeyPuddle thank you so much again. You've helped me before as well. It was her first imms and yes she's had a very runny nappy and explosive ones too.

footprints hopefully calpol does the trick. I think 3 days is within the realms of normal for post-vaccine grumpiness, hopefully tomorrow will be a turning point. Keep hanging on to those exciting plans to see people soon. Not sure if it’s any consolation but DH and I have been going through shitty patches on and off since DS2 was born. I think the second tests you, and with lockdown there’s nowhere to escape, you’re just left with taking it out on one another! Things are definitely getting easier for us as we learn to juggle the two.

same4walls my DS hates the wind, we went to forest tots on a windy day once and it was awful - the leader says windy sessions are the worst, the kids are always upset or wound up.

No vaccine side effects yet, but DS head butted me (accidentally), so I’m nursing a nosebleed. DH spent last week at work with a black eye from a similar incident. DS is 3, and I think has suddenly grown in height and strength and needs to learn how to control both again. He was only going in for a cuddle with me tonight!

@footprintsintheslow it's shit isn't it, I also feel lonely. I did the food shop before and the cashier was telling me about how she's looking forward to mother's Day as she's meeting friends for drinks and a sleepover.....we are meant to be in lockdown and not socialising! I can't wait till we are allowed to meet family and friends, I've found this lockdown really tough.

@footprintsintheslow no worries lovely. First imms can be a bit of a fucker as they’ve not experienced them before, add hoc usage of calpol to get you all through it is fine in my eyes.

@WeSearchedHereWeSearchedThere I didn’t have any major side effects, just a tender arm, hopefully you’ll walk it. Hope your nose is ok!

I've got my crossed for your baby feeling better very soon footprints DS1 was feverish for 2-3 days after all his jabs, but it was less bad after the first set as I knew what I was expecting.

I think I remember from uni that there's been studies on how windy days send DC a bit bananas, apparently it's quite common for school age DC to be extra naughty on windy days.

Ouch! wesearched Have you got some arnica cream or anything for your nose? DS2 has head butted DM (twice) and DH, but not me yet
DS1 did give me a black eye age 2 though, which I had to explain to work... (all toddler headbuttings have of course been accidental).

Day to day we're good here...just tired (like right now) when both DC are finally asleep and I have get back up to tidy up. I just have this sort of background worry about house prices all the time instead (DH and I are trying to buy, but I think I probably need to get a better/full time job, but then where will the DC go all day, but on the other hand they'll be squashed in a flat....and so on in a big fretful circle).

*fingers crossed

@footprintsintheslow, hope your DD will be better tomorrow, it's so much for them to take all at once. It can take days for the effects to wear off.

This whole year of lockdown has been utter madness and it's enough to drive anyone crazy. I can't believe it took them so long to even say support bubbles were allowed. My DD2 was 13ish weeks when lockdown 1 was announced, had he been any younger or my first I would have had a breakdown easily with the stress as I relied heavily on my Mum as DS1 was 2.5. Yes we may have DH or DP but it's the hands on help we need in the day when we want to cry we are so exhausted and don't have the energy to entertain anyone, plus no one is getting any real breaks from each other to recharge. We've had a year nearly now of limited family/friends contact, nowhere to go with preschool aged children or babies and it's enough to take its toll on anyone.

We've come this far, hopefully we will see things get better over the next few months if more things open up, that's what I keep telling myself anyway. I think we've all done a great job just surviving so far .

I don't know why I'm so low now, I loved the first lockdown, great weather and a nice pleasant toddler who was good company. I loved being home and I was happy. This time I feel like it's torture. The weather and a new baby is too much.

H is at uni so he works most evenings so it's just me and the kids really. Anyway moan moan moan, new day tomorrow.

I have felt the same this week footprints and I don't have a freshly vaccinated baby to deal with, just a clingy 6month old! I find it goes in cycles - some weeks I am fine with lockdown etc then every so often the frustration and boredom and loneliness hits for a week. You are doing really well to get out so much, I struggle to get motivated to get them both out when the weather is rubbish. I find I dwell on any disagreement with DH so much more now I don't have such an independent life of my own so much too. Hope today is better! I really think life will be easier as soon as the proper spring sunshine hits!

Well I've just realised that DD is not 15months old she's actually 17months old. Not sure how I've lost two months of her life.

I'm struggling with this lockdown as well, it seems to have been going on forever. At least the first one had a novelty about it

Well I've just realised that DD is not 15months old she's actually 17months old. Not sure how I've lost two months of her life.

That's beyond impressive.how on earth did you manage that.

I'm sorry to hear so many are struggling, the novelty has well and truly worn off here too. We've woken up to yet more crap weather and DS was up several times in the night due to the torrential rain hammering his window. I just want a bit of sun and a change of scenery.

Agree. Hating lockdown. Just want to have a cup of tea with my mum. It's been five months now and even that was outside in a freezing cold park.

Sorry, moan-fest over.

I keep forgetting how pregnant I am :o People ask me and I don't have a clue! I have worked out I'm 18 weeks now but that will probably be out of date by the time someone asks me again.

🖐 another lockdown hater here. I think it’s just the relentless nature of it, the unchanging, drudgery.
A sporting event that was cancelled last year due to covid has been rearranged for this year, DP and I were going to have a child free night away, but it’s been booked for the weekend before DS starts school for the first time so we’ve had to cancel it. Absolutely gutted. I was so looking forward to it.

Today I’ve managed to get DD to nap, admittedly it’s ok me and DS is playing independently for the first time in ever!!!!

And just like magic he could sense I wrote that and has started whining for the telly to go on.....

I'm bored shitless whilst also being frantic and exhausted!

There is nothing to do. Nothing. Today DH took the baby to give me a break and I was getting DS ready then we would meet in the park. This is what has happened instead:

Took me 20 mins to get DS upstairs and teeth cleaned. He will grab, open, pull, climb on, hide in anything he can get his hands on.

Get him outside. Baby asleep with DH. DS runs off, DH shouts, baby wakes. The playground is a 5 min walk away but DS wants to cross the road 5 times, kick a lamppost, jump in a puddle, runaway...

So I have now brought the baby back, fed her and changed her nappy and now she is asleep on me again and I'm not with DS. So I'm back to standing up with a sleeping baby on me, just like every other day.

I'm so bored, tired and frustrated I could cry. I want to enjoy these days, DD is certainly our last baby, but I find myself desperate for this all to be over.

@OhToBeASeahorse your first sentence is a perfect description of how I feel - it made me laugh! Sorry that things are so challenging for you as well.

Its shocking weather here yet again and we have already been out for a family walk so me & DH are each taking 2 hours to do our own thing this afternoon - I have the 1-3 slot, thinking of watching mamma mia for the 20th time with an early easter egg.

@Lostthetastefordahlias I dont know about you but I find it so comforting that other people feel the same. I've managed to stop beating myself up about not loving it and this thread has really helped me.

I've always wanted to go to the Maldives. DH says we can when the kids are old enough to appreciate it and cope with the journey. I reckon it will be 8 years. But to cheer myself up I've started to look at hotels

I keep forgetting how pregnant I am People ask me and I don't have a clue!

I was exactly the same when pregnant! I had an app on my phone that told me how far along I was and it was a life saver.

And just like magic he could sense I wrote that and has started whining for the telly to go on....

Sorry to hear he sensed you enjoying some much needed peace. It's amazing just hpw intuitive small people are at choosing the most unreasonable moment to interrupt you. I hope him playing independently just once is the start of him doing so more frequently, I'll keep everything crossed for you.

There is nothing to do.

This should be the tagine for 2020-2021. I'm so bored of doing nothing and not being able to think of anything to do because there is nothing to do. Every day is like the one before and I'm desperate for any slither of something different!

me & DH are each taking 2 hours to do our own thing this afternoon

Sounds like a great plan. Hopefully you can enjoy your Easter egg in peace.

We've still got absolutely shocking weather including the cruddy wind so I'm not even going to attempt to drag small person out for a walk. I can already foresee how shite it will be and I honestly haven't got the energy to deal with it today.

I have after much frustration and muttered curse words managed to get DS to nap. It was a huge battle despite him being exhausted as he's been up since 5am and awake for half the night. I'm now quietly hiding in my bedroom trying to convince myself I absolutely don't need a wee and to not breathe too loudly for fear of him waking up...

Hi all, @Same4Walls well done on the nap and hope DS doesn't wake up yet so you can get a break.

@OhToBeASeahorse, I know what you mean when you say you don't enjoy it all. It took me a long time to have our sons, years in fact (more than 5) of unexplained infertility, fertility treatment which failed, then both arrived naturally. I never thought I'd ever be a mother despite so desperately wanting it more than anything. Even that is not enough to make me enjoy every moment. Some days all I want to do is to shut the door, crawl back into bed and sleep all by myself.

Gale force winds here too today. So far today I have taken DS2 to the Co -op and DH has taken DS1 to Sainsburys! Need a plan for the afternoon.

Agree lockdown can bloody do one at this point. I am so holding out for nice weather the week of the 29th so we can do some garden socialising.

We've played with slime, gone for a walk and brunch with the support bubble we are in and found some new forest/ river type areas. Ds and his friend decided part way through that the best way forward was to pick up literal handfuls of mud and wipe them on their clothes. There will will a shower in the near future methinks.

Popped to a garden centre and picked up something for the grandmothers for dropping off tomorrow and now having a bit of a zombie in front of the telly.

This afternoon if weather holds up (it's quite nice when the sun is out and wind dropped) we will transfer our sunflower seedlings to some bigger pots I think.

I’ve bought this massive brownie for my mum for Mother’s Day. How terrible a daughter would I be if I ate it? I’ve made DP put it on top of the kitchen cupboards to hide it from me

@monkeypuddle that looks absolutely amazing. I don't think I would be able to resist!

DH is taking DS out to the park by himself, I think I'm giving off grumpy vibes as he said he'll take him out so I can have some quiet. DD is practically silent compared to DS, he's very 'spirited'

@monkeypuddle I mean, what she doesn't know and all that!