Trapped toddler parents: puddlesuits splashing towards spring

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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

I'm glad it's not just me that gets the baby pangs, makes it easier to ignore!

It's such a long wait for school places, I really really want him to go to my first choice as they've done lots of SEN stuff with him so I don't want to start again.

We are off to the park in a minute when I can convince DS that Blippi will still exist when we get home. He also wants to take his coat so he can sit on it to make the slide faster.....

Good luck to you both @MonkeyPuddle and @Motherofmonsters with your school allocations, hope you get your first choice. I'll be in your position this time next year with DS1. How are you feeling about your KIT day MonkeyPuddle?

Hope your DS2 is feeling better soon @Camomila and good luck with your recruitment letter.

We did a bit of finger painting this morning just with an Usborne dinosaur print book. It's got a full palette of inks so we just used those to make hand prints. Also had some garden time. DH found a swingball especially for 3 year olds from Home and Bargains.

Ds2 is napping and DS1 is at my parents so I'm doing a bit of work, I'm self-employed ( slight career change before undertaking the ivf years ago) and do a few hours a week, might be able to increase it when DS1 starts preschool in June.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day and hopefully the sun is out where you are.

@Chocolatetrifle that sounds like plenty of entertainment! :)
We went to local gardens this morning, and a play with cousins (and 2 dog walks). I’m so tired now, we are lying in bed with the tv on...

Our DD was also conceived through ivf. So, very likely this is our family complete. Very grateful that she has a few friends and cousins.

@Camomila I was thinking about picking up that wee toy from Lidl’s. But I’ve been told I buy too many toys. So, it sure 😅 hope you’re wee one is feeling ok x

Thanks all for the well wishes. We've made the most of the nice weather today and had a few people in the garden to meet DS. He's been cluster feeding non stop since he was born really but it's meant my milk has come in very quickly so hopefully he will ease up a little in the next few days (I can dream!).

Lots of cuddles and happiness here surrounded by a bombsite of nappies and smushed up snacks to keep DD happy. It's mad but I'm loving it! Can you tell the adrenaline hasn't worn off yet?

I feel exhausted tonight and to be honest haven't really done much, I think the sun has wiped me out!
Food shop this morning then we walked to the library for the first time in ages and it was amazing! Son was really happy to be there, spent a lovely 2 hours there and picked lots of books :) before covid we went at least twice weekly to the big library and once to the small local one so it was good to be back. Then walked home to spend some time in the garden which was nice.

I'm in bed already with a cuppa and some toast :)

We managed 4 hours at the park today! A new record for us. I'm tired, DS is somehow still messing about in his room. I've already been up once to take all his books and toys off his bed that he's piled up.

Good luck @Motherofmonsters DS1 also has amazing not falling asleep powers. DS2 luckily starts rubbing his eyes as soom as he's had dinner.

We've had a nice day, DS2 cheered up after his long nap. The weather turned so we didn't do a big day out and instead went to my parents house, did lots of puzzles and went to their local playground. They were nice and fed us dinner too so no cleaning up tonight! Just wanting for DS1 to fall asleep and then DH and I might even manage to watch a film before DS2 wakes up around 11/midnight.

I can't imagine a third child right now. Two is putting a lot of pressure on our marriage. Did anyone else find this in the early months of having two? It's a mix of apathy and bickering and passive aggression. We need to sit and talk it all out really bit I can't be bothered and I'm too tired.

It sounds as though everyone has had a good day, it's a lot easier when the weather is better and the kids can be outside more and let off steam, and even better now that some things are starting to open up. I actually felt a bit emotional going to the library the other day as DS1 just loved it and was so excited.

Hope everyone gets some decent sleep.

@footprintsintheslow, yes definitely, for me it was
the getting up in the night and still is. Boys will only settle for me, so even if DH gets up in the night, they just want me, sometimes both at once (as DS2 can be noisy at night and wake DS1) which is very hard, I end up just putting both in bed with me and DH in one of the other rooms! Anything to get some sleep.

Tiredness is what fuels our resentment. We are 16 months into 2 children, but we've not had a full night sleep since before DS1 was born, he's 3 and a half now. DH says its because we are old (44 and 40!).

@footprintsintheslow me and DP have rowed tonight because (he’s an arsehole) we’re both just knackered. I’m doing 12hes with the kids, everything in the house and all the night wakings (am BF so that’s fine) but he’s seriously not pulling his weight.

@Chocolatetrifle @MonkeyPuddle thanks for the replies and sympathy. I'm cosleeping with the baby and BF whilst H sleeps on a mattress. He likes to moan about this sometimes but he gets a full nights sleep every night so I'm not sympathetic when he says he's tired. We are also older 41 and 42. I just wish he'd do the small things which would make my life easier.
Obviously I should be telling him this and not expecting him to read my mind.

Hope it's a nice sunny garden day again.

We have definitely found it hard as well footprints. We had a better patch of being more loving to each other around 4 months when unlike other babies DS suddenly started sleeping really well, but now at 7m he is back to his regular wake ups and the tiredness makes it difficult to be your usual selves to each other. Also the pandemic is bound to make a difference I think? Its not how we would usually arrange things but in lockdown we started each having two hours strictly to ourselves on sunday afternoons, then doing bedtime together & then having a nice sit down dinner & a film (interrupted by DS usually but still good), its some time to look forward to spending together and I enjoy chatting with DH more then after a rest. Sometimes for us I think if we can find a way to have fun together it works better than talking. Hopefully everything will be easier now lockdown is finally easing!

@footprintsintheslow similar to us, DD is is in bed with me and DP is in the spare room. He wants back in here but I explained he can come back if he’s willing to do the hourly wake ups. Funnily enough he’s stayed next door.
He’s also been badgering me to pump milk so he can ‘take one of the feed for me’ I’ve explained multiple times how it just adds a job to my already long list of jobs, he just didn’t get it. He’s not brilliant at seeing things from other people points unless he’s experienced it himself. I’ve been pumping this week to have enough for my 5 hour kit day and it’s taken 6 evening sessions to have enough, he now apparently understands why I don’t want to add regular pumping into my schedule! Why he couldn’t jus accept what I said the first time I don’t know.

But in good news DS GOT INTO HIS FIRST CHOICE SCHOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s out of catchment (by a couple of streets) but I get such a good feeling from it! I’ve showed him pictures of it this morning and he can’t wait to go make new friends 😍

Oh brill that's ace news Monkey!!

DS2 and DH are both ill today. DS2 cries the most heartbroken sobs and won't let me comfort him if DH leaves his side. I think this is the most ill he's ever been except for when he was first born! (he's fine, barely even a temperature). I'm now flapping over whether it could possibly be fifths disease because he had a red cheek yesterday for about half an hour, but he was probably teething.

@MonkeyPuddle, that's great news about your son's school. Really pleased for you.

@BertieBotts, hope your DS2 and DH feel better soon. Could he have a sore throat?, with mine it always manifests as a sore throat when poorly.

I read somewhere that one if the most testing times in a relationship is the baby and preschool stage. So much is due to sleep deprivation, it's a killer. Agree that the last year has put a lot of pressure on. It must have been one of the hardest times to parent in recent times I think.

Any plans for today? Hope everyone feels OK.

Ds2 was up at 5, he's been doing so well and sleeping on a bit but not today, so he's already having a little nap. Ds1 has helped me prepare a slow cooker chicken curry for tea. Nothing fancy, just a packet mix.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Oh @BertieBotts that’s a worry for you, I’m sure it will be teeth, I blame teeth for pretty much everything!

@Chocolatetrifle I love the slow cooker! Ours is out weekly. We’re having chicken in mustard sauce tonight, have yet to inform DP that there’s no carbs with dinner, but he deserves to suffer after yesterday 😂

I honestly think that 0-4 ages children wreak havoc on a relationship and I know when I’m tired I am much less amenable.

He's def got a sore throat as his little voice has gone all squeaky and creaky, it's so cute! Poor thing.

Hope they feel better soon @bertiebots.

Yay glad your DS got his spot @monkeypuddle, DS got his to so that's one less thing to worry about.

The suns shining again today so we're off to Mil's garden, I'm hoping I can sit quietly in the chair while they entertain them.

Well I just popped into work to sort out my return to work/annual leave etc and my boss just sprung me a 3% pay rise! Was not expecting that! So that’s two good things today, what’s the third?!? Might buy a lotto ticket!!

My mums bought DS the attached rocket launcher which we will be giving a good this weekend, will report back!

DP has taken DD out for a walk on his lunch break so I’m going to have a hot shower, bouncy blow dry my hair and tint my eyebrows!

@Motherofmonsters, that's good news about your son's school too. Hope you get a break at your in-laws this afternoon.

@MonkeyPuddle, 👏 congratulations! Really pleased for you. Enjoy the 'me' time now. Do let us know about the rocket launcher!

I never bloody attached the picture. God it’s a good thing I don’t have to send emails for work, I’d be doing this all the time!

@footprintsintheslow me and DH have definitely had ups and downs since having a child! I feel like we are actually just settled now that DD is 2. It does put a lot of pressure on things.

@Motherofmonsters good news! :)

@MonkeyPuddle congrats on the pay rise. That’s fab news.

We spent the afternoon in a friends garden again yesterday afternoon. It’s a saviour! They can just entertain themselves. I will try and do some activities soon, so I can contribute!

I did buy a game, which I am looking forward to. But it’s always out of stock. It’s an action game for kids, called Monkey Around. I will try and attach a photo, but I’ve never done it before!

After all the excitement, the hormones have kicked in and me and DH have had some of our biggest rows in a long time in the past day! It's nice hearing that that we aren't alone and will have to be prepared for it to be a struggle at times.

@BeHereNowx32 that's a cool looking game, would love a review when you get a chance to test it out!

Ah @drumst1ck you alright? The hormones are an utter fucker aren’t they.

I’ve done a few hours this afternoon at a clinic doing covid vaccines. Was nice to not feel like Mummy for a bit but like Sister MonkeyPuddle again. Saying that even doing 4 hours I’m tired 😂 have said hi to DP and the kids and snuck upstairs with a nobbly bobbly!
DP did well with both kids, all alive, hydrated, he’s even prepped tea!!