Is this normal?

[OhToBeASeahorse]

DS is very nearly 2. Contextual info - I'm 35 weeks pregnant and we are having renovations done. But I seem to spend my day just following him around. Some days he is fine but others he has such a short attention span. Today he wanted to go for a walk, we normally do so all good. Set off and get to the park he is all excited about the swings. He must have been in them 2 minutes before he wanted out. A minute on the roundabout, one go on the slide then he just says 'home now' and walks out the park.

He does stay satisfied with anything for longer than 5 minutes. Mealtimes are rushed because once he has had enough he is done and will just scream. I no longer bother cooking anything particularly nice because I know DH and I will be ramming it down our throats.

He hates being dressed or having his nappy change and will sometimes just start hysterically crying for no apparent reason.

Is this all normal? I'm.absolutely exhausted.

Sounds fairly similar to my almost 2 year old, apart from the fact that she'd be in the park for hours without wanting to leave, then have a tantrum when we do leave!

I'm starting to worry about how I'm going to feed a newborn or do anything with a newborn at all really...

Sounds totally normal.

I've learnt to cope but having 0 expectations.

If we go for a walk and we only make it to the end of the drive because he's had enough and only wants to collect stones then fine, if we make it all the way to the shops then that's also fine.

Can you let him down when he’s finished eating and let him play nearby while you finish your meal up? We have a toy kitchen in our kitchen for DS to play with while I’m cooking/if he gets down from the table early. Would he sit still a bit longer if you gave him drawing/colouring/play doh while you eat?

He might do a bit of drawing, though his favourite drawing activity is 'mummy draw x'.

I'm just feeling a bit worried that I'm doing everything wrong at the moment.

You are not doing anything wrong.
You simply have a toddler who is going through a very typical toddler phase.
I promise you that this will pass but for now, take it easy on yourself, you're doing great.

Thanks.

I feel a bit teary.

He sounds like many other almost 2 year olds and things will get better. Once the new baby comes he will learn that you can't always drop everything to attend to his needs and as he grows up he'll learn to amuse himself for increasing lengths of time. I had two children 19 months apart and it was hard but doable.

Sounds normal. As a rule if thumbs young children’s concentration is a minute per their age plus another minute. You will survive a new born with children’s TV and letting your child roam from one activity to another.