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?

mrsamos peppa and dora are parenting essentials

lauluI will never look at elephants the same way lol!

In our house Thomas is the great parenting aid.

Peppa is my friend [snort]

Today DS filled up a sand bucket with water and threw it over himself and 4 other kids at play school. I sat there shame faced whilst the four children were stripped out of their soaked clothes. DS had to stay soaked because I'd forgotten any spare clothes.

Peppa's our friend too, especially when DD is wailing for attention and I want to pour wine make tea at 6.

Barney (the big Purple Dinosaur) is DS's new best friend please someone shoot me now

We can't go anywhere without him, however it is quite handy to put the DVD on and let him watch while I do something else wine anyone

This morning DD woke at 6:20 and refused to go to sleep so like the good parent that I am, I plonked her in front of CBeebies and went back to bed for another 20 minutes snoozing.

I don't know what was on and quite frankly, didn't give a flying f

(I was listening before someone calls the SS)

Peppa is playing right now, so that I can cook some lunch for DD2. She is enthralled.

My two have been plonked in front of Peppa and her Nick Jr (oh the shame of it) friends all morning. DS up screaming in the night for no apparent reason and ended up in our bed from 2am so I'm too tired to care today. MIL is here now so I've retreated to bed for a nap - if I can ignore the chaos and screaming emanating from downstairs!

laulu I'm sure you can!

My DD is suspiciously sunny at the moment. I fear I have been lulled into a false sense of security. I discovered today that she loves ketchup. I'm hatching a tomato-covered plan to get her eating more meat...

I buried my head under the duvet and managed an hour!

smells the ketchup plan worked a treat on my DD, wholly recommend it!

So I'm not alone. Although as I'm typing with one hand while making a stuffed animal dance with the other it feels like it. My sweet little DD has entered a stage that combines really bad teething with grouchy stubbornness and refusing to go to sleep before 11pm!! Is it too early for that gin??

Was going to say no its not to early geminitiger then realised you'd posted at 7 in the morning

I'm trying to be good - at least until after blood donation later as didn't think that was a component that others would want. Gone from a contented (quiet) baby downstairs in front of the TV while her mum was sneaking around upstairs to a grumpy child. Love your user name by the way, truly awesome book!!

I have to admit that I don't actually have it
Was reading the latest Terry Pratchett book and got inspired to change my name...and forgot it had been made into an actual book!! Will have to go looking on Amazon now

Has anyone got any tips on how to stop DS gurning? Usually such a cutie but has taken to randomly pushing his lower jar forward for no reason and will stomp about the house like it for ages looking like a right bruiser - sometimes it's hilarious but not a good look with his squint aswell :o

I also would like to thank Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends for coming into my life.

We are also fans of where's my cow. Ds2 is currently screaming because we have no bourbon biscuits in the barrel only custard creams an evidently they are just not good enough!

Got an 18mo DD2 and 5yo DD1. DD2 is up and down like a yoyo too. After Xmas she decided to cut 4 molars and 4 more front teeth over the space of a few months. I think he canines are coming on now. She is generally a delight but can be a fussy madam too. We use Calpol and Neurofen like it's going out of fashion!

As to sleep, having gone through 5 years of hellish sleeping with DD1 (she had huge tonsils and sleep apnoea when younger) my wife and I are realising that half the troubles we have now are a result of our insistence back then that DD1 should sleep in her own cot etc when really she was freaked out, unable to breathe properly at night and just needed comfort. It's a very "British" thing to force kids from an early age to sleep in their own room and in our experience it was quite damaging long term.

Anyway, my advice is to just go with it at night. We have a camp bed set up in DD2's bedroom and half my nights are spent either in there with her or with her on our own bed (depending on how she is). Usually my wife will be in the spare room with DD1 at some point in the night too if she has woken up complaining she can't sleep. It's musical beds for sure but at least we all get some semblance of sleep.

By the way, a a complete aside, DD2 is currently getting endless hours of pleasure from a small cardboard box which she just loves getting in and out of and sitting in. She also spends ages trying on mummy and daddy's shoes! Who needs expensive toys eh!

daftmule never heard of sleep apnoea in a baby, how horrible.

DD also has a shoe obsession and has been waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs to give DH his trainers. Unfortunately as he's at work and commutes an hour and a half each way, I'm not sure he'll be back before her patience runs out.

laughed out loud at juju sorry(!) My dd says "hiyaaaa" to everyone and if they don't seem interested will keep waving and smiling at them

daft sleep apnoea's awful, I've come across it in adults but never babies. I think the Antipodeans usually put babies in their own rooms from day 1 (or maybe I've been misinformed) and the Brits tend to do so from 6 months onwards? DD also likes to put my shoes on, or put them on me if not herself...

For all you peppa fans, we took dd to peppa pig land (yes it really exists) for her 1st birthday. It's pretty basic but she LOVED it...

Today started low when DS woke up full of life at 5:30; picked up somewhat when he went for a nap at 10:30 and DD and I spent a very pleasant hour or so doing father's day themed colouring and then she ate all of her lunch without complaint. DS then got up and ate only the tuna out of his sandwiches and started demanding 'bics'. The afternoon has now descended into hair-pulling, wrestling and a lot of shouting (mainly from me!) and I have resorted to getting the biscuit tin out to keep them both quiet.

My friend's DD was tested for sleep apnoea at 2.5yo after a lot of ENT problems but didn't have it. My DH is a sufferer. It must be very scary for a child (and their parents).

DS also has a shoe obsession. I bought him some Mr Potato Head slippers the other day and he was beyond excited!!

Also, most of this afternoon's altercations have been as a result of both of them wanting to play with an empty cardboard box but it not being big enough for them to both get in it at the same time, so yes daft it seems the simple things are the best!

Another shoe obsessed DS here. He likes to put daddys slippers on and try to walk in them, and he likes to carry them round and hide them!!

The shoe box is even more exciting

'Shoooosh!' DD2 loves them. And 'hatttttt!'
And right now we are very into dancing wearing a tutu and fairy wings. Such adorable moments make up (almost) for the lack of sleep

Shooeeees - yep mine too - high heels a big face with DS - to be worn with a hair-band and if possible sisters tutu. Hiiiyyaaa is also fav greeting - ahh the recordings will be handy when he is 18.

Face - sorry fav. And sister's shoes.

Up since 5am - tis my only excuse