Got an 18mo (or thereabouts) and want to swap war stories

[smellsofsick]

What an interesting age! DD is either really sunny, eating like a horse being hilarious or refusing food and clinging like a limpit. I can see why there are so many toddler taming books out there now.

Today, I think we're back in the teething phase and I can't put her down to make a cup of tea. Not complaining mind, just be reassuring to hear any similar stories and any top tips. I'd hit the gin but I'm also 11wks pregnant with DC2. Why, I ask myself, why?

bumper mine too! Sooo irritating. After eating bugger all for most of the day I nurofened her up and she ate loads for dinner. Now I feel like a feral, wolf mother for being annoyed at her at lunchtime. I might stand outside and flag down a passing circus to give her to. At least she'd stand a chance then, even if she does end up with a life on the trapeeze

Great thread smellsofsick (and great name too

Sooo glad I've found this. My DD is just 19 months old and in tons of ways its got easier but eff me its got harder in lots of ways. Lots of waking up in the night going on at the moment with shouts of muuuuumeeee or annoyingly less often dadeeee.

We did manage to get around the bath thing though if this helps anyone- DD was terrified of having a bath when we came back from our hols, she didn't like the different bath there so I spent ages trying to wash suncream off of her in the sink- joy!

Anyway after freaking out getting in the bath back at home too and feeling slightly scared of having a grubby child I read some tips somewhere about not using the the word bath, but making it all about the bubbles (the e45 ones if you DC have eczema) boats/toys/ shaving foam lids or whatever other plastic toot you have knocking around your bathroom. We stood and looked at the 5mm of water and mountain of bubbles for a while, dunked the boats in them, etc etc until she was ready to get in. Did the same the next night, the next night and the next night. Not sure if it did help or was just a fluke but thought it might help someone.

And what I want to know is- how do they do that thing where they make themselves all heavy and slippery at the same time? Im so scared of dropping her head first on the floor. This secret needs to be sold in case you ever need to escape some kind of attacker.

And to you ladies who are pg or have 2 toddlers i take my hat off to you in awe!

My DD is 17months, and according to nursery is happy, affectionate etc etc etc, but this week she has started doing that rigid, stiff as a board, arched back, yet also slippery like jelly thing, when I try to put her in the car-seat. Her cries are very embarrassing and loud, and i have almost flash forwards of just letting her stand in the car all the way home - anything to move on from the attempting to fasten her car-seatbelt saga i currently go through. Eventually, after light years (in reality minutes) have passed she stops wriggling enough to be strapped in. This is a new phase, and must pass soon! Right?

She's now in bed, I'm having my second large glass of wine

This thread has made me feel better! 19 month horror no longer seems to be just me! I can't wait for this teething lark to finally be over, maybe my happy toddler will come back and the clingon will bugger off back to wherever it came from ... fingers crossed this happens before DS2 arrives in a couple of months ... please can all those able to have another drink for me?

DS went down for the night in his side less cotbed and hugged me so hard tonight that I may have melted a bit

Made up for all the stress of the day, especially with the accompanying kiss.

Awwwww.....

Count me in. My DS is 2 and a complete nightmare at the moment. His more epic tantrums he reserves for school pick up in the playground so all the other parents can bare witness to my neglect.

My DS is my forth and I am NOT pg and will drink wine for all of us tonight

Oh, and just to add. I have been through the toddler stage 3 times and it does end. I have told myself this several times today whilst telling my youngest to be quiet etc etc!

Joining in with 17 mo DS. It's like someone's flicked a switch these last two weeks and he's thrown some very impressive tantrums. He will run after me and hit/kick me if I walk away from tantrum, but picking up or trying to distract don't get me anywhere either, except for today when he was doing the bent backwards screaming like a banshee thing when trying to get in his carseat. I just cuddled him for a minute, and he stopped, yet when he went in for a repeat performance later on cuddles seemed to make him worse

To my mortification, he's bitten two children and hit at nursery this week. Oh yes, my child is that child. Hitting his sister and me too quite a bit, but then strokes whoever he's hit and says 'ahhh' - think he might think it's a game.

He's got back teeth coming through so I'm blaming that. Have 4 yo and lone parent too, so wine 7 o clock is a welcome time in this household.

Can I join with 15 mo DD? It feels as though she is constantly saying "Mummeeee", which swings between endearing and irritating in a heartbeat. She's also in a real testing boundaries phase and quite deliberately does things she knows perfectly well she isn't allowed to do e.g. biting / smacking at home, which apparently she NEVER does at nursery....... Luckily it's wine o'clock and (thank god) she sleeps well virtually every night - so far.

So good to hear it's just us! 19 month DS also flits from funny little angel to evil bath hating, food throwing maniac.
I have however discovered morning baths are (slightly) less traumatic than the evening ones.

Oh and also pregnant with number 2!

Oh god, carseat hatred yes! Luckily she hasn't gone off baths yet which is a blessing seeing how she feeds herself and the mess she makes. She goes in with DD1 though who is her absolute hero so that may have something to do with it!

Yup, sounds very very familiar to my 17 MO DS. Utterly gorgeous boy at times, at others, the very devil. The worst is when he goes stiff with rage and either hits or scratches me - but then gets upset when he realises he's hurt me.

At least he's (this week) stopped his habit of simply sweeping his plate and remaining food onto the floor with a massive flourish when he's had enough. Yesterday, he actually passed me the plate and just as i was taking it away, stopped me so he could pick up a stray pea and add it to the plate.

You know what? I would, just once, love to go to the toilet without DS. In his current very clingy mood he climbs onto my lap as soon as I sit on the damn toilet. When I put him down he just whines and yanks at me until he's back on my lap.

We have the weirdest tantrums too. A couple of weeks ago we were on our way home, and he was jabbering away happily in the car. Parked up, took him out of the car and he's laughing. Open the door and step into the kitchen and all hell breaks loose! Screaming, shrieking, throwing himself onto the floor, kicking and thumping the floor, actually did a headstand by walking his feet up a cupboard door...I mean WTF? Is he actually having a tantrum because we're home?!

We also have "mama, mama, mama, MAMA, MAMA, MAMAAAA!" every few minutes. Although do you know what the first word he says in the morning when he wakes up is? Not mama, or dada, or milk...it's car. He is completely obsessed with them.

As far as naps go - what naps? He no longer has a nap, so it's go-go-go all day. At least he usually sleeps well at night though (7:30pm-8:30am).

But then he'll do something so wonderful that it brings tears to my eyes. I had a coughing fit last week and he looked at me with a very serious little face, then toddled over and gave me his favourite toy doggie, the one he takes everywhere with him and is very protective about .

I am 39 weeks pregnant and ds (2 and a half) has been watching my boobs grow with some interest.

On the bus: "Mummy, my want sit on your lap and PLAY YOUR BOOBIES! MY LOVE YOUR BOOBIES MUMMY! Wanna see the nipple NOW. LEEEEEEEEEASE???"

at thunksheadontable

Breakfast has been interesting...it is not a morning for toast, weetabix, mummys shreddies or even daddys branflakes. He had a few bits of each, then threw the rest on the floor!!

Great thread. I have a 33month old who is not much better than all of your not quite 2yr olds, and a 12 month old. Wish me luck. today we are potty training, sigh.

wheresmycow snap! No to toast today, just a bit of yoghurt but fingers jammed in mouth since we got her up.

smile best of British with the potty training!

thinks amazing bus scenes

I've gone back to bed while DH takes her to the supermarket. I'm supposed to be tidying...

Why does DS throw food on the floor even when he's not finished? Removed his cornflakes from him this morning after he sprinkled them liberally in a circle all around him, and he protested loudly until given them back. He ate some more, then repeated circular sprinkling. An hour later he was starving because he hadn't eaten enough... I should just leave them on the floor and let him graze later, shouldn't I...

Ladies, enjoying your stories!!

My DS is 21 months and he's crazy!! Never ever sits still, eats like a horse, is the loudest toddler I've ever met whether he's laughing, shouting or singing!! Really - people turn and stare in shops and stuff lol

He's also totally unpredictable - complete angel one day sitting in the trolley in Tesco or out for tea, shrieking the place down kicking and screaming on the floor the next, flat out refusing to get into his buggy, trying to run onto the road... Typical man hee hee

Ah toddlers!! And we're ttc no. 2 atm and I had pretty bad HG with DS so god knows what i'm letting myself in for - puking and chasing a toddler and somehow making it into work 2.5 days a week...

DD is 18 months and swinging between cute, lovable, funny and utter nightmare. The cute bit seens mostly reserved for the childminder, her uncle or granny. I get the nightmare bit. Also the not eating, not sleeping, getting furious at stuff she cant do and tantrum bits

Oooh. This thread sums up my life right now! DS is just 18mo. Like everyone else, I have an adorable loving little man one min and then a little monster the next.

He currently likes to slap anyone that prevents him getting his own way. I have no idea where he gets this from- it must be his instinctive response!
Other babies ( cousins mainly) get battered if they dare try to share in even looking at his book/toy, or try to play with his mummy/daddy. I know it's a phase but a rather embarrassing one

I do have to chuckle when he keeps shouting 'poo poo' at the top of his voice when he sees a drainpipe

We're having a much better day today; went out for lunch and everyone behaved, ate and wee'd as they should (including DH) DS is now napping, DD is colouring and DH has gone to the pub so I'm having a vodka and tonic! Let's hope it continues into tea/bed time (the good behaviour not the vodka!)

@SmileItsSunny

Great thread. I have a 33month old who is not much better than all of your not quite 2yr olds, and a 12 month old. Wish me luck. today we are potty training, sigh.

How did it go? I started potty training DS yesterday!