18 months is a hard age, right???

[Destrier]

Please sat ir is. He is just so difficult (lovely but difficult). And won't sleep.

say it is...

Yes it is. And 19 months is worse. goes to stop ds from paddling in the dog's water bowl, again

My DS already paddles in the dogs' water. He's not quite 16 months. He must be gifted!

Yes, hard (but cute) stage. Old enough to be capable of getting into everything; too young to understand why they shouldn't.

It does get better...

It's an interesting age.

Dd2 is a nightmare to get to sleep too. Fine if you actually get her to sleep. I don't think she has gone down much before 10pm the last few weeks. Which means I get precisely no time to myself.

She is into absolutely everything and just can't walk past a drawer or cupboard without emptying it.

Everything we own is balanced on shelves or on top of wardrobes.

It does get easier, I'm not sure when but I'm told it does.

I think I blanked it out the first time... (ds1 - also not sleeping) is 4.5. I want a break! no chance of that...

Hard - but prefers it to babies as they are starting to be affectionate and are communicating more and starting to use their imaginations which is lovely.

We went through the tantrums stage he either chilled out a bit or I've gone a Teflon. I noticed he started chilling out a bit the more he could do things for himself like put on his shoes.

Thank you. ANd thank you all for pointing out the positives as well. It can be hard to remember them at times.

I'm a bit fed up. I've been wearing some summer clothes (obviously not as flattering as I thought) and LOADS of people have asked me if I'm pregnant what happened to keeping quiet unless you know? I'm just fat... I know it, but don't need to be reminded.

And someone commented on my age - 5 years older than I really am

And then I got home to my lovely boys. DS1 won't sleep. And ds2 whinges and whines and cries over nothing. And won't sleep. And I'm tired.

Sorry that's turned into a moan- I didn't mean it to.

18 years ain't so hot either. Just an observation. Before I became a parent I thought it would be fun. A lot of it just isn't. When it is fun, however, it is wonderful. Just hang in there!

i have a 15 month old and I'm totally exhausted at the moment too! you have my heartfelt sympathy OP!

I've finally managed to get mine into bed, but he's been getting up at 5am for the last week and is all over the place with any daytime sleep (he may deign to accept!)

Busy, busy baby! all cupboards are emptied and cupboard locks are being fought against. all steps, including concrete garden steps are being climbed up and down relentlessly, or huge tantrums when he's stopped.

but, he is also very, very funny! playing peepbo with his blanket to try and get me to smile when I was trying to get him to go to sleep... bringing me books to read him and getting excited by his favourites...chasing birds around the park for hours saying "bbbbbbbbbb!"... and also playing splash in the cat's water bowl!

Ds is 23 months and starting to get some sense and self control and sometimes does what I ask.

Sleep still shit though .

Remember it could be teeth, adds substantially to the whining count ime.

Just keep looking at those chubby little legs in shorts and be glad.

All too soon they will be long hairy ones instead. :(

It is. They are just starting to talk and are frustrated by not being understood. You are frustrated by not being able to understand them. IT WILL GET BETTER!

Have this Destrier, you sound pretty down. I understand how Non Sleeping Babies can get to you, my 16 month old is a nightmare with that. Is there anyway you can have a break, even for a couple of hours to read/ go for a walk/ shopping? If you can do this then you might be able to appreciate some of the funnier aspects of this age or ignore it with a smile. Also, meet up with friends as much as you can, it's good to have a moan outlet!

Was only saying the other day that it's the most challenging yet rewarding age so far i think! Their characters really shine through, for good and for bad! For example: DS throws gravel all over the decking (mildly irritating). DS, with exactly the right intonation in his voice: "Oh, look! Uh-oh!"

I'm off for a now...