Random questions about a toddler

[mamainlockdown]

I have a 12.5 month old and a couple of things on my mind. Got no-one IRL to ask. Hoping someone on here can offer advice...

1. she is sooooo lively, a real explorer, walking everywhere, never ever sits still. Tried a few baby groups like baby music but it was stressful because the other babies played with their mummies and mine just wanted to go round the room, play with the other babies, grab everything, try to walk out the door, grab the curtains, pull on the skirting board, grab the other mums bags, shoes etc etc. We don't have a garden do have been going to the park and sitting on a blanket. This is only good if the park is empty as she can crawl and walk around freely. If other people are there then all she wants to do is go over to other families, steal their picnics, toys, handbags etc etc! doesn't matter what I bring to try and entertain her. She gets impatient easily if she can't DP something like take another persons phone or toy, or climb out of the window

It's exhausting and I do feel she stands out compared to other babies/toddlers her age, eg NCT group. I was worried it's attention seeking behaviour but she is loved and cared for by me and DH, and we are a calm home, no shouting or raised voices, never watch tv, etc and lots of love and cuddles. I guess it's just her temperament but I do worry that it's something more, like a special need?

If anyone else had a 1 year old like this, did they become a challenging kid or have difficulty at school? Or did they calm down? As a baby she was happy and chilled so it's only since she's been moving that we've seen this personality and impatience emerge. I'm just worried that this will be her behaviour forever now.

2). She was bottle fed from the start as I had to EBF. She finds real comfort in her bedtime bottle but health visitors say this must be replaced with a cup. She cries if I try the cup. I'm confused because breastfed babies are allowed to continue to receive that comfort until they are older but bottle fed babies have to stop. I understand the issue with tooth decay and we brush her teeth afterwards. She's on cows milk. Is it unreasonable to want to continue bottle for a bit longer?

NDN's DC3 was just the same. DC1 and DC2 where so quiet that I was a bit concerned, but when DC3 turned up oh my...

I feel like we go to the same music class! My 20 month old runs riot touching everything including the teachers lights and speaker while all the other mums whose babies are too young to walk sit in their spot and have a lovely time while i’m a sweaty mess.
With regards to the bottle you can get a transition cup. It has a soft rubber spout like a bottle but is free flowing. It’s made by tommee tippee and you can get it on amazon. My DS wouldn’t take milk from a cup but would use this. Ive recommended it to a few other mums and they have got on great with it aswell.

Sounds like my DD. She was such a pain in the arse at baby signing at that stage. I used to wonder how it was possible that others had babies/toddlers that would sit still and pay attention. She was also a real runner at any opportunity. She's now a pretty chilled out, kind and polite 4 year old. My DS is still a crazy toddler at 2 so I look forward to the stage we can go somewhere and relax a bit!

I wouldn't sweat it about the bottle either at that age. In time she will become more ready to take it in a cup or a straw bottle or something.

She sounds fine. My first was like this, even at a very young age other babies would sit and play with toys but she’d be rolling around crashing into them. Also a total bolter, I couldn’t believe it when I’d see other toddlers walking around town nicely holding their parent’s hand. I remember my friend commenting that she was very “strong willed” 😬 However, I can honestly say she never had a proper toddler tantrum and is now a super polite and very well behaved 4 yo.

DD2 seems to be a bit more —feral— “spirited”, she’s a climber and is so cheeky.

Toddlers do look huge and destructive when your baby is teeny, the newborn mums will get over their horror/smugness soon enough!