The 2 (or more?!) Under 2 Support Thread!

[GrrrlWith2Boys]

Post your woes (or joys) here if you're currently tackling 2 kids under 2 (please say i'm not alone!)

DS1 is super wingey today and driving me batty...the slightest thing and he's whining and crying.

Have managed a 10 min walk with pushchair to get out of house. DS1 watching far too much TV, i haven't brushed my hair and the dog won't stop barking.

I need some gin.

Glad your bedtime went well Alicet, I have just managed to escape dd1, I waited until she was actually snoring, but her eyes snapped open as soon as I got to the door.Ah well, I'm sure it's just a phase...

We spent the afternoon at the hospital (dd2 and her lump again, dr thinks infected cyst, but won't go away without surgery), and when we got out of the car dd1 ran towards the door shouting "toys,toys,toys!" she just thinks it is the best playroom in the world.

Chaotica,sometimes the only way I can get dd1 to eat her tea is to put a little bit of food by her comfort bear's mouth, but then end up having to scrub smushed up cheese and cucumber out - I am so weak!

Went to playgroup yesterday- stressful as hell getting them ready beforehand, but DS1 didn't scratch anyone, and DS2 slept while we were there. Was good to get out and talk other adults too.

DS1 realised that a song came on that i sing to him- he looked over to me from miles away, did the actions, grinned and ran off to play. I felt really smooshy and proud, like it was our 'thing'

He's at childminders today, and between the rain and my delightful dodgy tum, i'm going to spend the day cuddling DS2 and watching telly in the warm.

Also sorted childcare ready for going back to work part time Sept- yay!

Supergrrl hope you had a good day yesterday, cuddling, tv, warm, mmmm sounds lovely (would have to add some chocolate and tea to that though).
Am going to try to do some packing today, which dd1 will probably unpack, so maybe I shouldn't bother!

Hello ladies,

Hope you have a good day too, Supergrrrl. I need to catch up some sleep (I've been up since 3.30 with DS, then just as I was getting him back to bed DD woke up.)

We went to playgroup too yesterday, after which DD was so excited she ran all the way home and just couldn't nap (aargh! [why isn't there a tearing-hair-out emoticon?] ). Fortunately, DP came home from work just as she was getting to the 'throwing things and falling off chairs' stage and she behaved for him [relief emoticon!].

She loves puddles so much now (good thing really given the weather) except she now jumps in whether she's wearing wellies or not (cue a lot of wet feet and soggy trousers...) -- maybe I'll just put her in wellies for the rest of the winter. (Or perhaps your DS could give her ideas, justabout...)

(btw Justabout, whereabouts in Yorkshire are you? I'm from there originally...) (you don't have to say if you don't want to reveal it, of course!)

Must go to the library sometime too, alicet. (I'm sure there'll be a wheelchair ramp that DD can run up and down while DS sleeps (or shouts!) . Might even be a puddle outside...

Hope your DD2 is getting better, HJ.

what are you packing for?

It was a good day. DS2 had his first 'big' bath too!

Had the worst nights sleep though- DS2 has been great, but last night was rotten. It wasn't helped by DHs snoring. I felt like screaming- knackered today.

Took DS1 for his first haircut today- he was good as gold, sat totally still. I couldn't believe it!

We are moving house at the end of the month, so trying to pack some of the non essentials, and clear out some of our clutter (amazing how much we have accumulated since the last time we mived - 6 months ago).

We're having bad night at the moment to, one takes ages to go to sleep, the other wakes up super early, and the middle of the night its a free for all!

How old is your DS1, Supergrrl? Dd1(22months) really needs her haircut, but I just have a feeling she'll go ballistic.

18mths- his hair is very sweet now! (Although i did like the mad whispy bits aswell) He was an angel for the barber- i think it helped he was a stranger and in a strange place- i think he was too confused to do anything!

Sympathies to those of you whose DCs have sleep problems -- DD just keeps waking at odd hours and moaning a lot (and lets face it, toddlers who need sleep are even more irrational than ordinary toddlers) (although in our house, you can say the same about parents ).

You've reminded me Supergrrrl (and hazeyjane) that I need to get around to getting DD's hair cut. Can't imagine she'll like that much (we have persuaded her to stay still long enough to tie it back though so it's not too bad).

Went and did some puddle jumping at the local field today -- very convenient and lots of fun, except I was glad that DP was there when DD started marching towards the flooded river shouting "Splash again! Splash again!" (Must teach her the difference between a river/lake/the sea and a 5cm deep puddle...)

...Now while DD naps, I must go and buy some chocolate...

Going back to yesterday and the river -- have any of you found a good way of telling your toddler that something is seriously dangerous? I try my best, but DD really doesn't get it (can't get her to tell the difference between something I'd prefer her not to do (eg spill her drink) and something she'd better not do or she might drown/end up in A&E etc). Any ideas??

hi justabout I grew up in west yorkshire (just north of bfd), and my sister lives in barnsley (don't think she's on MN though) (although I might be wrong ). I miss the hills although I might not with a double buggy to deal with...

AArrrgggghhhhhhhh.

Have only just been able to put DS2 down- he has cried all flipping morning, to the point i was telling him to shut up

DS1 finally given into his nap. My family were meant to visit today, but only rang this afternoon to say they won't bother now By the time i could eat my lunch it was cold, and even then i had to share it with a whining toddler. I haven't even peed in peace today

Sorry for ranting, but i thought if anyone would understand...

Oh Supergrrrl, sounds like you have every right to rant. It's awful when the lo's won't stop crying (and worse, I think, once you've got other DCs to think about because they get stressed out by the noise and lack of attention which makes it harder for you).

(My DD seems quite chilled out about DS most of the time, but her first sentences about him have been "DS make noise" and "DS maa maa" so you get the picture -- he used to always kick off when I was trying to feed her (or myself).)

Rant away, Supergrrl-sometimes I phone one of my closest friends and end up ranting into her answering machine,and she does the same to me (we never actually pick up the phone, as we have both got 2, so it is pretty much always a bad time for one of us!).

I remember when dd2 was only 5 or 6 weeks old, and they were both screaming, dd2, because she was windy/tired, dd1 because dd2 was screaming, they had been going for it for about 20 minutes, and I couldn't do anything to calm either one down, I thought I was going to explode. Instead of exploding (wouldn't want anymore mess!) I recorded 10 seconds of it on my mobile, so that my dh could hear how bad it could get sometimes. I listened to it the other day and it made me feel much better about the whingy, grizzling and shouting that I get now.

Go and treat yourself to a nice peaceful wee on your own

Not at all, justabout! How're you doing? (Haven't been able to post so easily as DS is really sick (reflux, again), just when we thought it was going away. Might have to go back to the doctors with him.)

Actually, although I don't (yet), I can understand the smacking in times of life-threatening danger (given smacking vs getting run over, I know which one I'd choose). A good friend of mine does the same (and she's so gentle with her kids at all other times). I s'pose the danger is that they don't understand what they're being smacked for, but I'm terrified DD is going to end up in a&e sometime soon because she's so convinced that I'm playing a crazy game when I say 'no' (or shout it, or threaten her with time out etc, although she does respond slightly quicker to the threat of time out so I've never actually done it).

BTW Supergrrrl, how are you? (Feel free to rant away...)

better today thanks! i emailed DH to say as soon as he came home i was going the bath. I lay there for 30mins with a book, then felt much calmer and saner.

i haven't left the house for 2 days now due to the rain. Playgroup tomorrow though.

DS2 been less clingy today. Am sick of the sound of my own voice though- all i've said today to DS1 is 'get down' 'put it down' 'leave it alone' 'stop it'........aaarrrggghhhhhhh! Am trying to praise the good, but it's being outweighed by the mischievious and destructive!

On the positive side, DS1 has been cuddling me today, asking for 'teddy baby' (his bear) and calling me Mama He copied my press-ups today too (sort of) and DS2 grabbed his toes and grinned alot.

Thanks for asking! Hope today is an even better day (for all of us!)

tomorrow not today!

What a great thread - wish someone had come up with it when I had my two under two. Now 3 in a few weeks and 20 months. Stick with it girls. It gets easier and better and my DSs are such good mates even at this age.

Bath for 30 mins and a book? -- what bliss! Every time I pick up a book, somebody yells...

I know what you mean Supergrrrl about this positive parenting -- it can get pretty difficult. I try to ignore the bad behaviour until I hear a loud crash (which is sure to be my undoing ).

Glad to know it gets easier, Spoo. Actually, even though I bitch and moan, I don't regret this chaos one bit.

Hello ladies - lost this thread for a while hence not posting! Glad to be back!!!

Justabout not smacked mine yet. Don't think there is anything wrong with it in the situation you describe though - with Chaotica that a smack is better than a trip to A&E! Ds seems to be pretty good at knowing when I really mean no although that could change anytime. WHen he hurts someone else (went through a biting stage a few months ago) I have picked him up and put him down a couple of metres away from me and shouted 'No!' and then ignored him for a couple of minutes. He hates this and cries so he knows its wrong. I then give him a cuddle and explain why what he did was wrong and get him to say sorry (he gives a cuddle) to the person concerned. Seems to work so far.

Off now - ds2 has just woken - will be back later x

How sad is my life. Not left the house for 2 days, so was really looking forward to playgroup today, even if the other mothers don't really speak to me...but there was nobody there. Floor was freshly mopped, no toys out, no people around. DS1 was gutted and started crying, and since the park was too wet, i've just let him walk round a damp cemetary for 10mins to cheer him up.

After all the stress of getting them both ready aswell. How pathetic am i?

Oh well.