Tinsel and Tantrums- The NEW (and festive) 2 or more kids under 3 thread!

[SpookyGrrrl]

Here we are girls!

Feel free to join us if you have 2 or more kids under 3yrs old- we won't bite

For any potential newbies, I have 2 boys, the oldest is 2 yr 5mths, and the youngest is 13mths.

No playgroup! (Our playgroup is attached to the local nursery school which was closed.) But we have a good snowman to show for it, and a good chance I won't be able to get to work tomorrow (which is a bit shit, but I can hardly set out to drive 100 miles in a blizzard)... ...But I have an important meeting to get to... Wish me luck.

Hope you're all doing well.

More snow here too and my blardy heating has broken down as we have no gas! May have to put my firelighting skills to the test! I hate being a helpless female sometimes!

Kids are not well and cant go to my mums to get warm as have to wait two hours for a gas man now GGGrrrr!

And its snowing - sorry for the moan!

Hope everyone is ok x

Morning All

No heating, Tracyface You poor person and your poor family. Did it get fixed?

I am officially stir crazy with cabin fever after yesterday - couldn't get to work, couldn't get to CM's so I could work at home, couldn't even get into the garden. Even beebies was on the blink... The state of my sanity is not looking good. Must find some way of getting out today! [moan over]

Hope the rest of you are OK

cabin fever here too.....

Oh no gas yesterday but on last night and then no gas again today while they worked on it. They have been digging up the road and working on the pipes which has now got melted snow in it and got into my gas supply. SO hopefully it will be sorted on Monday as we are so cold.

My oh is back on Sunday so I am going to be a right moany old so and so for a few days because I have had such a rubbish time while he has been away. I have some serious me time to take when he gets home. Got a horrid cold and cough from the kids so feeling as grumpy as they have been for the last week.

I am quite exhausted as Melissa seems to be dropping her daytime nap and is then also exhausted by about four and then overtired by bed at six. It has turned into a real battle and she was so good at going to bed before and now she cries for ages.

I hate it when they change their routine. Im not ready to give up my lunchtime break that I normally get while they both have had a nap.

Tracey hope your gas gets fixed soon in was sooo cold last night, even with our heating on 25 and the fire on, it was cold!

And definate sympathy with regards to the nap-dropping. Thankfully, Freya still has 1 hour from 2-3 although she sometimes sits and reads with her mr men books (but still 1 hour break for me!)

Anyway, gotta get Izzy up.

tracyface hope you get to cash in your 'me-time', sounds like you need it.

My DD1 thankfully still naps in the day, most days, but if she doesn't, it's amazing how ratty she gets by bedtime and how it just completely changes the whole going to bed experience.....tonight she was an angel and I just thought...if only every night could be like this.

Could you try putting her for nap even if just for half hour and maybe do a star chart if she stays in bed?? Or if she really won't nap have an enforced 'quiet time' where she has to sit quietly on sofa and watch a DVD for 30 mins or so....this is what my mate did when her DD stopped napping.

Evening, Ladies

We do the 'quiet time' thing with DD as well. Sometimes she naps, and sometimes she doesn't, but she usually goes to her room and plays/reads for a while... I go in if I hear any loud thumps though.

Morning All

Hope you're all coping. I'm doing much better than yesterday as I gave DS a dose of calpol and he's a different man. All smiley and chatty rather than a clingy screamer. Think he might be getting canines.

I hope some of the snow and ice shifts - I really want to go out further than the garden (we can get the car out, but there's nowhere to go except the supermarket where I can guarantee a toddler will be able to walk...) Might try it anyway (there's only so many snowmen we can build).

Coping ok thanks Chaotica. We had a better day yesterday too as Isaac cut another two teeth so I think he is a bit happier now. We are back to nursery today after ahving a week off Melissa was a bit tearful and it wont help being half term net week, but cant be helped. Snow last week and then floods this week made us very late getting to nursery today. Looking forward to the weekend as getting my hair done on Sat afternoon and going all on my own - hurray!

Ladies

How do you cope with jealousy? DS2 is 2 next month and although he wont even look at his sister, as soon as I pick her up, he starts wanting cuddles etc and I feel bad having to say no.

Can I hang out here? I'm expecting in April and i have a 12mo. I'm shitting myself!

Afternoon, All And welcome, Redybrek - you're welcome to hang out here.

My DD was 17m when DS arrived and it seems like hell at the beginning, although I did think it was immediately better than being pregnant with a toddler. It all gets easier, especially now my two hang out with each other, usually climbing all over each other or chasing about. (DP pointed out the other day that it's a bit like having two chimps... )

Don't know about the best way to deal with jealousy, Frasersmum - all the obvious things like spending time with your DS while your DD is napping, cuddling them both on the sofa (I used to have DS perched in the most stupid ways so I could hug DD as well).

How good is your DS's understanding? Would he fall for you making being a baby seem really boring (a tip I got on here)? Like telling your (oblivious) DD that "no you can't have yogurt/chocolate/play ball/watch beebies etc etc like DS - you have to wait until you're older..." That worked for us - poor DS is still told by DD that he can't do something, he has to wait till he's older

It's good to hear you say that it was immediately better than being pg with a toddler. Well my ds isnt walking yet but may be in 9 weeks time!!!

I have NO IDEA how I'm going to cope. Does it make more sense to bottle feed so's you don't go mental? or easier to bf? I bf ds and it just seemed to take up ALL DAY

Hello Ladies! Welcome newbies! Fear not Redybrek- i'm not saying it's easy, but the things you fixate on worrying about are not as bad as you expect.

House is done! Loads more light and room, new carpet is down, and sofa is here. The kids are banned from eating in the living room now aswell, so it's keeping fairly nicely.

I have an awful cold and have had very little sleep for a few nights, so taken the day off. Been for a nice walk, going to have a quick clean in a bit and then try and have a sleep.

Hope you're all well / not too toddler stressed. Had a laugh with George last night- he wanted toast and i kept suggesting things he could have on it..Cheese?- No. Peanut butter?- No. Marmite?- No. Giant monkey?- Ooh yes please mammy I ended up having to fashion a monkey out of toast, peanut butter and nutella. It looked rubbish, but he loved it and had another this morning!

Morning, Ladies

LOL at the giant monkey, Grrrl. Freya often has crocodile sandwiches (despite being veggie), but I just pretend there's a crocodile in there. I am such a slacker!

Redybrek - I bf both mine. It wasn't hard (although it depends on the baby and the toddler you have, so some on here have a different experience). I found things for DD to do while I bf (books, beebies, bath etc) although I often bf while she was eating too. I'd have given bottles of ebm to DS though had he been bothered, but he wasn't (DD had them but she was hungrier). I guess the best thing is to see what works for you all.

(BTW - if your experience is anything like mine, be prepared for both DCs crying at you at the same time... it does get better!)

i bf both too Redybrek- i found it was easier than bottles. Just think, having to wash and sterilise and make up those bottles with a baby and toddler under your feet?! See how you go- it all sounds complicated until you see what works for you.

Welcome redybrek - Its hard to begin with but like the others say it does get better. I couldnt manage to breastfeed Isaac any longer than 9 weeks as I found it too demanding but there is only a 12 months gap between mine so she was still such a baby and needed me for so many things.

Also Melissa was a late walker and only started walking at 20 months so I think she wanted to stay a baby as long as possible. As for bottles I just bought loads and did them all at the end of the day in one big bottle washing session.

Melissa is very jealous of Isaac and somedays it is a battle for my lap but she has become more tolerant of him and will wait if I ask her (most times)now. It only seems a problem if they are both ill and needing constant cuddles is when I find it troublesome and we have been known to all cry together.

Now she is nearly two she is also learning to share better and its really sweet how often she gives him things to play with although its just about as often as she takes things from him too!

We are having a good day today and playing nicely so stress levels are nice and low till I have to do school run and cook tea and do homework and bathtime all at the same time. Somehow it always gets done eventually!

Hi folks nice to meet you all. Thanks for the b/f experiences keep em comingxx

Did anyone's back go from carrying toddler whilst pregnant? Any tips??

Hi
I'm back! Feel like I have been away from mumsnet for ages so hope you all remember me other than the new people of course!

Ds1 now 2.3 and ds2 is 9months!! Can't believe how fast it's all gone. We are getting settled here in nz but dh having no luck finding a job so that is a big worry. Couldn't have chosen a worse time to come over given economic climate at the mo . If he still has nothing in the next week I am going to start looking too, thou only for something really temp as he doesn't want to be a stay at home dad and I don't want to work full time!

We now have internet at home so I will be popping on much more often I have missed my mumsnet addiction.

Hi redybrek I have 17months between mine, and totally freaked out when I found out I was pg with ds2. I did suffer from back problems, but just put up with it so can't really suggest anything sorry.

Off to watch who do you think you are with jeremy clarkson now

Hi Kaybee and morning to everyone else

Snow and ice is finally starting to go here, so maybe I'll dare to go for a walk (still stir crazy around here, especially after blizzard yesterday)... Maybe I'd better go somewhere with a cafe just in case

Kaybee - sorry to hear your DH hasn't got work. It's worrying at the moment even if you have work, so I hope he or you find something soon. (Will he be on here if he's a SAHD?? - there's no reason that only mums with 2 under 3 can post on here )

at the house, Grrrl.

Grrl - house sounds good. Wish we could do something to change ours. I didnt used to let the kids eat in our lounge but we have sort of slipped lately and the odd sponge finger and custard cream crumbs seem to have appeared. Its my fault for being a biscuit addict and I always have to have one with my cup of tea so Melissa always says 'share mummy' So what can I do?

Redybrek - I also have suffered with back problems but I have learnt to be careful how I lift and I think it has made my back stronger this time round.

I have two fab car seats which are a godsend. It may help you to get one (use from 9 months) if it helps they are the bebeconfort Axis. It swivels sideways so you can put the baby in and buckle them up and then face them to the front again. These have been one of my most expensive but useful baby purchases.

My two are quite heavy Isaac is 25 lb and Melisaa 26 lb
even though they are a year apart they are both quite chubby

I cant believe their birthdays will be here in a fortnight. Do you think its mean of me to have a joint birthday this year?

Hello girls! So sorry for inconsistance posting but we have just got back from a spontaneous family holiday - yes I did say spontaneous and 'family holiday' in the same sentance! DH is off for 2 weeks and we saw the snow in Aviemore was the best in years, so we hotfooted up there! Had a total blast, got girls kitted out in snowgear, and us too, sledged, snowman-built, participated in massive snowball fights - you get the picture. We are all very sad to have to return home

Welcome redybrek and to echo what the others have said, you will be fine but it will be hard, and when they cry together (and when one sets the other off) it can be tempting to just join in yourself! (I know I have!) Freya was 20 months when I had Izzy and I BFd izzy for only a short time. Freya used to kick up such a fuss and cry, it was not working out. And that is a shame, because Izzy was so easy to BF, she latched on, fed easily and completely, never made me sore, I wish I could get that time back.

Anyway grrrl house sounds delightful, infact I am very hope you all enjoy it!

Massive [wave] to everyone...xx

Evening, Ladies

Jewels - holiday sounds great . I will stick to just one I like the way you make going away with two toddlers a total breeze... (Do you have a secret army of nannies?? )

We've been out and about around here enjoying the last of the snow (and the odd cafe). Connor is just starting to enjoy walking when we go for a walk which is great (little tantrums when it's time to get back in the buggy though, just like his sister used to do).

DD is dropping naps big time - and she's such a stroppy tired girl as the day wears on. She starts the day lovely and gradually turns into an exhausted strop-monster... even if we do try to make her have a rest.

Yes jewels, surely you have a nanny? Or an au pair in your pocket? I can only just tolerate both of mine to Tescos and back without some malarky going on!

Is anyone else finding things are getting much easier? I was just thinking this morning how it's much easier to get things done now. I don't ALWAYS have to cook with Dyl on my hip, and this morning i put some washing out while both boys wandered round outside with me!I'm still flipping knackered though.

Looking forward to Sunday-we're going to Bristol Zoo for my birthday, with both boys, 2 of my friends and my friends 18mth old and 4yr old I must be getting- pre-child birthdays just involved a weekend of getting wrecked!