Trapped toddler parents: support through winter and beyond

[squishymamma]

Following on from the previous thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4292353-Trapped-toddler-parents-Inspiration-and-support-needed-through-the-summer-hols

Not the most inventive name but apt I think...

Merry Christmas Everyone, I hope Santa visited you this morning

Happy Christmas everyone, hope you all have a good day
We've been up since 5. DS1 was trying to get up at 4.30!
We've had some teats and tantrums already. I've sent the boys out into the garden on their scooters.

Hope everyone is well.

Thinking of you @squishymamma and hope baby is doing well x

Happy Christmas!! We are halfway through a 4 hour drive to the PILs so festive! Hope everyone is managing to keep the toddlers more happy than overwhelmed!!
Just in case we dont hear it enough times today, a massive well done to us for making a magical christmas for our dcs in challenging circumstances!!!
Special congrats to @squishymamma for also having a festive baby!! Hope all is going well!

Merry Christmas you lovely lot

DH is off to pick up DS1 and I have been through all the checks and been discharged so just waiting for him to come back and pick us up! Everything is going really well though it seems DS2 is a nocturnal child, I was basically awake from 1am to 7am...

Feeling very positive but we will see how it goes when we have to juggle two children.

Very much looking forward to a quiet Christmas afternoon at home with my parents, we've decided to make Christmas dinner tomorrow though we're having some of the ham today DS1 has had the time of his life at PIL and still doesn't fully understand Christmas so I don't think he'll complain if we drag it out a little.

Hope you all have a wonderful day, hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly @Lostthetastefordahlias, and may all DC sleep well tonight!!

I hope you've made it home @squishymamma and have had a nice relaxing afternoon with your parents. Good plan to have the dinner tomorrow.

We've all had a lovely day here, had a few rough moments with DS as he got really unregulated and was charging around when PIL were cooking/carrying hot food but he settled down in the end. Slightly embarrassing as he kept asking to go home as he wanted to play with his Octonaut toys that I got him (secretly smug that my present was his favourite)

We are now home and the kids are asleep so we're having a bit of quiet.

Hope everyone has had a good day to

Sounds like a good day @Motherofmonsters. It's so overwhelming for them I think what with all the build up and anticipation. We've had a few moments too.

Well done @squishymamma, you'll be glad to get home!

Boys are asleep here. I'm just trying out some new bath and beauty products etc before collapsing into bed (eating some more chocolate before that though). Sleep well everyone.

Good evening all! Hope everyone has had a good day?

We had a crazy day yesterday, came home from hospital and were basically trying to host my parents and get organised at home again on barely any sleep! I mean I love my parents but man is it hard work having them here. DM basically never stops tidying and cleaning, which makes me feel stressed like I should be doing something. She also keeps using the wrong sponge to wash up which is making me feel sick as we use the one she uses to clean the oven...and she does it despite us having told her multiple times! Think we might just have to chuck the sponge and I feel bad for complaining because I know she just wants to help but...I'm sure you guys get what I mean.

DS1 is so adorable as big brother, we see a little bit of jealousy where he's trying to pull me away while I'm feeding DS2 or whatever and he did also hit him in the face before I had chance to grab him but he's also super excited and wants to help. I told him I was going to feed the baby because he was hungry, and he ran off and came back with a half eaten slice of bread he'd stashed away

Today I cooked Christmas dinner. It was delicious but I probably shouldn't have done it 3 days postpartum! Was worth it though, now I feel like it has been Christmas (albeit a day late).

Just struggling through the terrible engorgement period of feeding DS2 now, hope everyone else has a good sleep!

Wow @squishymamma, I'm amazed how much you've been able to do. You need an award for hosting straight after having a baby. I hope you can sit down and do nothing today.

We managed a walk on the beach yesterday which was amazing to get out and have some fresh air. We then went to DH's Aunties for a buffet which was good, DS and DD were a handful though as they had sweets out everywhere and as usual DS was running around. We didn't stay for too long.

Today we've ordered a Gorilla Gym and a sensory hammock for DS. Hopefully it'll help him to be calmer and more regulated. I'm thinking if I've got actual equipment for him to use it'll be easier than trying to think of activities for him.

Not sure what we are doing today, we're all still in pyjamas with no sign of getting dressed.

Hope everyone is okay this morning

Oh, can I please join?

Mother of a 2 year old DS here. I also have a DD who is a pre teen (send help)

I really struggle with this toddler business. He seems so much harder than DD was? Her language was much better than his, she wasn’t as active, she was more compliant than he is Although she is bloody hard work now! He seems more “babyish” at this age than she was?

I think what I find so difficult is that he gets bored really easily and I find I don’t manage well unless we get out of the house every day. I look forward to a Christmas where I can relax a bit more & he has the attention span to watch Christmas films.

Christmas was lovely, but he wasn’t very well, we were at the Dr’s 9am on Christmas Eve as he had Croup (Mild, luckily) He also seemed to get very overwhelmed at Christmas with all the guests/noise/hustle and bustle and late nights.

I really want one last baby, but sometimes wonder how i’d cope!!

Welcome @VillageFete, you are in the right place. I have a recently turned 4 year old and just turned 2 year old, both lads. Lots of ideas and support here.

@squishymamma I think you are wonder woman! How are you feeling today lovely? How is baby? How is your DS1?

@Motherofmonsters, they sound like great purchases for your DS. I will look up the gorilla gym. Every morning and evening at the moment we have 'make a tower out of couch cushions and jump on them' but it always ends up in tears and squabbles. Looking forward to better weather when mine can just burn off more energy. They just seem happier when active. My ds1 is really into marvel avengers sticker books at the moment and luckily can do them himself for a bit now.

This morning we did manage to get out on scooters and for a ramble in some woods near our house. DS1 is going swimming this afternoon. dS2 hated it last time so I'll wait a bit before taking him again.

Have started a mammoth task of sorting out the lads wardrobes. I've done DS1's and just need to do DS2's now while he has a nap

I'm very impressed with you hosting at 3 days post baby @squishymamma ! I was a weepy mess (milk coming in) at day 3 with both DC. Hope you are having a very relaxing day today.

Welcome @VillageFete I have a nearly 2 year old who likes to climb the furniture and an almost 6 year old with the attitude of a preteen

We are just driving home from the in laws, we have been there 2 days and they are lovely but they have a glass coffee table/an expensive tv/millions of ornaments and the world's steepest stairs so it will be nice to get home! I have also eaten a year's worth of rice and just fancy some plain toast now (they are from the Philippines)

Thank you for the welcome.

We stayed in today. My Lord, the living room was trashed After bath time I bundled DS in to a push chair and went for a walk to see the Christmas lights. It was lovely & he really enjoyed it.

Evening and welcome @VillageFete!

Walk on the beach sounds lovely @Motherofmonsters. I've never heard of a gorilla gym before, very interesting!

Did you manage to finish the wardrobes @Chocolatetrifle?

@Camomila I completely feel this, all DGP houses here are nightmares for curious toddlers. It's exhausting to be constantly on guard...but glad to hear you had a good time!

We've had an intense day (as usual atm) with my parents and PIL plus my BIL and family all meeting for dinner. DS1 point blank refused to nap today so he was overtired and overstimulated and dysregulated and all the other words that basically mean tantrums every 3 minutes. I'm making the most of the newborn period, DS2 basically just eats and sleeps and poops and it's heavenly. Going to be very interesting when he starts waking up to the world and then both are demanding attention...

Tomorrow we will go and buy some new plates and bowls etc, thrilling stuff. DS1 got some skis for Christmas so we'll try and get him out on those again while we still have snow. And of course just try and survive another day of my parents, who have a rubbish bed in their Airbnb and so keep squabbling

Hope everyone gets a good sleep!

Anyone else shamelessly squirrelled away a few presents for next birthday? 😬 We just got home from my inlaws. It was utterly lovely but so manic, I’m quite glad Xmas is done now I have to say. I hope that doesn’t make me sound like Scrooge! I dragged my MIL and youngest BIL (a teen) out with DS and I to their local playground on Xmas day because I feared so much for the state their house if he was inside all day 😂

@AliceW89

Yup I do this every year! One of my kids bday is nov so I keep back some and give for Xmas! My other kids bday is jan- so I hold back some
At Xmas For bday!

Can I come back into the fold again. I've dropped off twice now. But I still have an11 month and and 3 year old so loved the moral support.

Trashed living room here and have always squirrelled away excess presents for birthdays. We are still opening presents tomorrow. Just plodding through them each day.

@squishymamma How old is your eldest? Just reading you hosted 3 days post partum. What?!! Wow!! Superwoman!

I find it’s such an overwhelming time for babies and toddlers. My family roll their eyes when I try and explain that the constant stream of days out/activities/late nights are too much for him at age 2.

I hosted again this year for the 3rd year in a row. I’m not doing it next year. I’m eating out. I want to get dressed up, drink a glass of champers whilst sitting down and not hovering over an oven, and just get waited on for a change.

Morning it's absolutely pouring down here and we've been up since 6 and dS2 was up shouting about 4 times in the night.

So far dS2 has spent the morning screeching at me and clinging onto the bottom of my clothes.

We've made the couch dens already and put them back as everyone started crying.

Happy days.

Any plans for today? I finished the wardrobes yesterday and need to get in the mood to target the cupboard of death under our stairs to make way for the new Christmas toys. Hope it stops pouring so we can go outside for a bit.

DH and I are off on a childfree trip to ikea today to buy a shoe cabinet - Is it sad that ikea is one of my favourite days out?

@Camomila, definitely not sad at all! Hope you enjoy your trip! Hope you get what you need.

The sun has come out and it's stopped raining here finally so I'm going to get the boys out on their scooters.

We’ve been to the swing park, it was freezing cold and muddy. Fun times!!

Plenty of fresh air though, so hopefully he’ll have a nice early night.

Non stop chores to do. It never ends!

Trapped toddler parents hey? ..I think I've found my thread here.

Congratulations @squishymamma and you sound like a superwoman!

I have a 2 year old boy - today has consisted if crying (mainly me) a daytime bath to try and keep my toddler occupied for a bit and snacks approximately every 10 minutes. Dreading trying to keep him entertained for the next week until preschool/work resumes.

I love a child free shopping trip @camomila, it's very freeing.

Welcome @squishmycherry.

My DD was like that yesterday @chocolatetrifle, i find it really frustrating having them attached to me at all times. Glad you've managed to get them out

We've had PIL over for a roast lunch so we've had to tidy up the after Christmas mess we have been ignoring this morning. They've been playing Lego etc with them.

We've cancelled our gorilla gym order and have just bought this. Feel like it's a bit crazy but will hopefully be a massive help for DS

Gosh that looks fantastic @Motherofmonsters, I bet your DS will absolutely love it.

We've made it outside for an hour and a bit on scooters and the playground so I'm happy with that. Now, what to do until bedtime...

Welcome 🤗 @squishmycherry.

I think they've fought non stop for the last 2 hours. They've both got new toys and want to play with each other's but won't swap so keep falling out. You would think they would sit on opposite sides to each other but they've got to be right in each other's spaces. I'm running DDs bath early as I've thoroughly had enough.

Glad you got out and about @chocolatetrifle