Trapped toddler parents:"Where else can you post tuff tray pictures and moan about your husband?"

[PinkDaydreams]

Following on from the previous thread. Thanks @footprintsintheslow for the thread title inspiration 😁

I tried peanut a couple of years ago to meet other mums but didn't have any luck unfortunately. I'm in my thirties and I was one of the oldest in my area!

I can't seem to get on with peanut, I find Mush is definitely better but I find there's only a small portion of people who actually do want to meet up. Theres lots that I speak to and then they disappear.

Morning everyone! I’m at the hospital today having my procedure. Was here for 7.30, currently laid in bed reading my book & eating my maltesers that DH bought me last night.
I was told to bring an overnight bag, just in case, but hoping to be home this evening. Nothings happened yet though. I have some pain so might not be waiting too much longer.

Enjoy your play date, I hope the mum is nice!

Is anybody doing anything nice today?

Great idea with washing the toy cars, I might set the boys up with that on Thursday if it’s dry (so probably not)

Morning all. I tapped out of the thread for a few days. Busy sorting settling in sessions and getting my manager to bloody pay me properly for doing KIT days.
We’ve had a morning of toys and CBeebies, we’re off to soft play this afternoon, we’ve had a good chat about rules and DS is on board (I hope!!) im quite looking forward to it. Going to take a book!
Hope today goes ok @Checkingout811 😘

@Checkingout811 hope today goes as wel as it can, enjoy your maltesers too! I find I can't eat them anymore as once I start I have to finish the full box!!

Fuck me.

Soft play. The noise, chaos, overpriced food.

DS LOVED every second

@MonkeyPuddle we went yesterday, there was something strangely satisfying about being back in that 'environment'. Never thought I'd think it. Lockdown has messed with my head clearly.

We have booked an indoor trampoline park for the weekend... What next? Toddler skydiving? Toddler abseiling?

Love the thought of toddler sky diving or one of those simulator things where the air holds you up!!

Can I ask for some advice please?! DS gets home from nursery at 3.30, he's starving! Is that too early for his tea? Normally he has it around 4.30 then bedtime porridge at 6pm.

DS is now in an Octonauts induced coma on the sofa, he’s utterly knackered. Boom.

@Chocolatetrifle I had a blissful 15 mins when DD was asleep in the pram, DS was in the play frame and I was reading my book, heaven. Trampoline park sounds bloody knackering!

@PinkDaydreams when DS is at nursery he has lunch at 11:30 and then ‘light dinner’ at 3:30, something like jacket, sarnies, beans etc and then when he’s home at 5ish I give him something else, usually some cheese on toast and fruit. He wouldn’t survive that long without food. I’d say feed them when they’re hungry as long as it’s not too much effort and can be placated with a snack.

@PinkDaydreams would he have a small snack when he’s home / in the car and then dinner around 4?

@PinkDaydreams I would just give him double dinner One when he gets in and another one later.

I've always given the DC 'merenda' (Italian 4pm large snack) then dinner after.

Typed out a message but it disappeared!

Thank you for all the advice, I think I'll do as you've suggested and do tea at 3.30 then a snack later of he wants it then push his porridge back. I have tried snacks after nursery but he doesn't eat his tea then. I think I'm wary because 3.30 seems so early but it'll only be twice a week. Thank you again!!

Playdate was a success, DS and his new friend were on the same wavelength so it was utter chaos but they had fun. She's said about meeting weekly so that will be nice.

Glad everyone's enjoying the soft play being open

That’s brilliant @Motherofmonsters sounds like the start of a lovely new friendship! I might have to try a mummy tinder I’ve never been on one.

Back home now, DH has run me a bath and settling the boys for bed. Wasn’t half as bad as I expected and I feel really relieved it’s done. Also happy to be home.

the boys are at nursery tomorrow so I can rest all day.
On Thursday we’re trying a new allotment club near us. They plant seeds, go on bug hunts, feed the chickens & splash in puddles! Sounds great and it’s only £1 per child!

@Checkingout811 allotment club sounds cool!

Glad the meet up went well @Motherofmonsters.

I've still got a cold, tickly throat kept me awake through the night which was very frustrating! During the day it's mixed with hayfever so I look a snotty, teary eyed mess!!
Going to pick son up soon, he does half a day at nursery on Wednesdays. Might got to the big park this afternoon where they have ducks and squirrels we can feed.
I can't wait for the swimming pool to open again properly but as yet there's no date which is frustrating.

Hope everyone has had an enjoyable morning so far?

I had a very restful evening last night

DS1 (still recovering from being ill all last week) who doesn't usually go to sleep until 9pm fell asleep on the sofa at 6.15 and didn't wake up till 7 this morning
(I nudged him awake at 9 for a wee).

I was worried he'd wake at 2am starving but he didn't, he had a giant portion of beans on toast this morning before school instead.

Just waiting for DS2 to wake up from his nap then we'll have lunch, then park this afternoon and maybe a visit to the crepe van after school.

I feel like I've been gone forever, reading all your posts...just haven't had the time or energy to read or write anything...

We had a 4am start this morning I've started going to bed at 9pm to prepare for the inevitable early mornings. Really looking forward to moving in a few weeks and getting all the blackout curtains/blinds.

@Motherofmonsters so glad your meet up went well, they really need to introduce apps like that here in Norway.

@Checkingout811 glad to hear everything went well and that you can enjoy a good rest. The allotment sounds like great fun.

@PinkDaydreams hope you feel better soon. Hayfever is horrible. I have the opposite problem, my eyes get really dry and itchy over summer and it's so painful, I spend all day pouring saline drops into my eyes. Do you have tablets you take? They help my DS quite a lot, but I don't remember which ones she's on. Think she gets them from the doctor.

I wish we had soft play here too, it sounds like an experience DS would love! Will have to wait until we're visiting my parents I guess.

Not much planned for tonight, mainly surviving until bedtime - hope everyone has a lovely evening

Boys are currently wrapped in tin foil and pretending to be robots!
We had a park visit this morning but have stayed in this afternoon as DS1 says he has a sore throat so he's working his way through some ice pops.

Hope you feel better soon @PinkDaydreams

How do you cope getting up at 4am @squishymamma? Hope DS stays asleep longer for you tonight.

I had a bit of a fed up evening last night, it's really getting to me still getting up in the night. DS2 is getting up about 4 times a night, he settles with milk though. I suppose what irritates me is that it's always me getting up not DH. Granted he did when both were smaller but it's just me now and boys only want me in the night which is fair enough but it's knackering! I get DS1 up for a wee as he's out of nappies and then DS2 is always getting up at the moment, I guess it could just be a phase, a long phase. Then we are all up for the day at 6 or before!

Out of interest do any of your DH still get up in the night to tend to your DC? Sorry for the moan!

@Chocolatetrifle my DH never got up during the night, and that's not an exaggeration!! Never got up at all through the night and only ever made a handful of bottles, I can only remember him feeding Ds once. It's the reason why we won't be having anymore children, DH would love more but I can't put myself through the stress again. It's hard work and even harder having to get up through the night when you're already tired. I feel for you.

@PinkDaydreams, thanks for replying, just had to get it off my chest. Just feel like I'm always tired or saying I'm tired. Going to myself sorted on some vitamins and healthier eating etc which will hopefully help.

Currently outside washing all the garden toys ready and hoping the weather will improve soon!

Hope everyone has a decent night x

@Chocolatetrifle usually it's 5am so not quite as bad, today I had a little doze on the sofa during my lunch (benefits of WFH) but I'm feeling rubbish, definitely an early night tonight.

And totally with you on the getting up - here it's anything between 1-5 times a night and only milk will do, so obviously DH doesn't even stir now...it's truly exhausting but somehow I make it through one night, then another, then another. Tbf if it's before DH goes to bed for the night (he saunters in some time between 12 and 1am, lucky sod) he will usually try to come in and soothe DS and sometimes it works. He also occasionally gets up with him and leaves me to have a lie in. Having read several accounts of DH/DPs on MN, I have to say he is actually pretty good just doesn't have the right kind of boobs

@squishymamma, hope you get the early night. I know DS2 will eventually grow out of the multiple wake ups and your DS will too!

That's good your DH tries to help, my DH is great at everything else but after being unable to settle DS1 because he just says he wants me, I guess I've just fallen into the trap of doing it all the time plus because it works the aim is to get back asleep as quickly as possible. As you say one night at a time. Would very much like to book into a hotel overnight by myself, but I know I never would!

@Chocolatetrifle oh imagine, room service, luxury breakfast, uninterrupted sleep. The dream. We're sending DS off for a few days with DH's mum in July - usually she takes all of her DGC at the same time. She has 7 but as DS is so young and it's his first time on what she calls 'Grandma's week' she'll have just him for a few days. I'm both dreading it, as it'll be the first time he'll ever have slept away, and looking soooo forward to it!

No need to thank me @Chocolatetrifle. I remember posting (under a different name) on Mumsnet when ds was tiny about how hard I was finding parenting, son had health issues and that I had no help at all and that I just needed a place to moan....well I got absolutely slated!! It's difficult admitting to finding things hard, things are made even worse when people are then horrible! I honestly feel like this thread is a safe place and wish it was running those years ago when I was finding everything so hard. Can you come to some sort of agreement with DH that he gets up in the night a couple nights a week?

@Checkingout811 how you doing today?

@Chocolatetrifle tin foil robots sounds ace! DS loves robots so I’m absolutely stealing that idea! Thank you 😘

On the DP being useful in the night then I have to say DP is good to us. I’m BFing so have always done the feeding (we don’t bottle feed unless I’m working) but DP will take her if she wakes early and does all the morning wake ups with the kids, I don’t get up before 8am. Well, not while I’m on mat leave, when I go back to work I’ll be back to getting up at 5:30.
But our understanding is DD has kept me awake for 6 months of being born and all bloody 9 months of being pregnant so I get the bloody lie ins. He naps on the sofa every evening for an hour. He is naturally an early bird so doesn’t mind the early mornings much. I also get him to do all the laundry as well.

But I would expect, in your shoes, that he pulls his bloody finger out. You can’t be expected to deal with most of the day to day, I’m going to hedge a bet that the wife work falls in your court, and all of the night stuff. There has to be a fairer balance and I would lose my shit at DP if he valued my physical and mental health so low.

@PinkDaydreams this is absolutely a safe place to go from ‘look at me I’ve had an amazing mum moment’ to ‘fuuuuuck I hate my life’ in the same post!

We have a nice day planned tomorrow, toys and playing (unstructured) in the morning, gymnastics glass at 11-12, home for lunch and then to a local farm that has an ice cream parlour, free animals to look at and a playground before picking up DSD who’s coming for tea, I’m working a vaccine clinic 3-6 so I get some grown up time and having a laugh with some lovely patients.