What are you doing with your toddlers?

[Ivortheengine8]

Those of you who are pregnant and have them. I'm exhausted at 32 weeks and manage to do a bit of shopping and a little walk each day but am maybe relying too heavily on tv! She is being quite good about it but I know its just going to go downhill from here.
We don't have a garden here either which is a shame.
Any ideas that don't require much energy?

I have DS (5) home on school holidays who doesnt know yet, Im only 14 weeks. But I have tried to to stuff in the AM so he is happy to watch TV and play with his toys.

Soft play
Park where you can sit on bench while they on slides etc - depends on how old toddler is?
Ive kept meals simple if its Heinz raviloi because im tired then that it is
Early bath and good play with toys while you sit on loo with mag?
Is there anywhere they can peddle/push along while you sit - we lucky our local park is flat and enclosed so DS can do this.
How about swimming - takes the weight off you and wears them out - we just about to go actually, showers after mean swift bedtime too!

HTH

I'm 32 weeks too - I've been driving out on little trips to playgrounds/cafes/national park centre etc with DD. We tend to play/do colouring in the morning as it takes me till lunch time to rally myself. Then out we go after lunch. By the time we get back its time for supper and bed.

Mine loves throwing stones in the river. I know a few good spots so I've taken to driving there with a camping chair for me (sitting on a rug too uncomfy!) and chocolate and juice and tea in a flask. I sit in state in my chair, reading, while DD potters about chucking stones in and putting them in her bucket. This kept her happy for 3 hours one sunny afternoon!

32 grumpy and exhausting weeks here too and DD is 18 months. We have a garden at home with a climbing frame and a trampoline so that thankfully keeps her amused for a short while. DD is not particularly interested in TV yet (a crying shame when I'm so exhausted!) so I have filled the bottom drawer in the kitchen with all sorts of crap interesting bits and bobs that she'll happily spend a good chunk of time pulling out and sorting through. Apart from that I try to interest her in stuff I can do lying down - puzzles on the floor, colouring, reading etc. She also loves dancing so I put some music on and put all of my energy into clapping and cheering for her whilst she marvels at how amazing she is .

27 weeks, and starting to feel the slow down - I imagine it'll get drastically worse soon. I've already told DH that he has to wangle it one way or the other so that I have the car on my days off from work because pushing a stroller full of toddler uphill to my place leaves me stiff and sore all day.

Playgrounds with benches are good. We spend a lot of time in the local library - I sit on the couch in the children's room and she fetches books to read. Lots of baking (this also keeps me with a constant cake supply). Etc.

24 weeks, 2yo and 5yo (both at home all the time). Mostly, I'm carrying on as normal then crashing to sleep when they do! DD1 is on fishing for stuff under the furniture duty.

Plan for when I get bigger, well inviting lots of friends round here so I don't have to go out as I have mobility issues which make me dreadful at walking on ice. I'm collecting and hiding books as I see them in charity shops to bring out, making sure they have plenty of indoor but active toys (tiny space hoppers have been a huge hit) and plan to encourage their habit of hour long baths!

Big and bump, We are kind of walking distance to the nicer park but its a bit out of my limit for walking there and back atm and I don't drive here. I guess it's been raining quite a bit too which doesnt help!
I will take her to softplay one day soon though, we have one fairly close by.
She has written all over the wall again this morning with a crayon she found somewhere :( Dh banned crayons because of this so we do it in secret when he is a at work!
She loves dancing though too offspring, we had a wiggles video on yesterday and she loves it!
Tortoise, I started going downhill about 27-28 weeks I think. :(
Just trying to reassure myself its only for a few more weeks. before crying baby is here and I will feel even more exhausted!

Library, thats another idea - they have a little childrens space at ours....
Hour long baths are fab....I bought dd a plastic dolly the other day she could take in the bath with her. If only she stayed in for an hour!

Erm, well DD2 is two months. I mostly did:

• TV ;
• trips to the local park;
• trips to the library;
• playgroups (when they get going again in September these can be great - sympathetic other mums will probably chase after your child for you);
• soft play;
• play dates at friends houses;
• playdoh (easier to clean up than painting, but enjoyed nearly as much);
• the odd bit of cooking (filling the breadmaker, etc).

If it is any consolation, I have found that, so far, the most exhausted I have been was the end of my pregnancy (and DD2 was up every hour on the hour last night. Yawn). I just didn't sleep deeply or well, had a lot of hip pain and, towards the end, was only getting a few hours of sleep in total per night. Having a baby has been easier, not harder so far .

Yes its such a shame second that the playgroups stop in the holidays. :( I miss them!
I might get her some playdoh again today.

Everyone seems to tell me that second, just hope its for real and not out of pity!

Honest to god it's not pity. One or two people on here know me in real life and they would back me up.

I also bumped into a mum in the park yesterday who I'd said this to before the holidays. Her DS is now a couple of weeks old and she said "I'm so glad you told me that. It's so true." It might not be the case if you have a really easy pregnancy, or a reaaaally difficult baby, but for most people it seems to be the case. I think the worst problem in pregnancy was that, even when I slept, I didn't sleep well. With DD2, I might be up quite a few times, but when I sleep, I'm properly asleep. It makes a world of difference.

I have great sympathy on the playgroups. Everything stopped for summer half term just as I went overdue (DD2 was 9 days late) and that week was difficult. I tried to organise lots of play dates.

Play-doh was cheap at my Asda last time I was there, if that's any help.

Thanks second, I will trust you :) its my only hope really anyway!
Well I just popped to asda and I bought one of those cake mix things (being really lazy and thought it would be easier for dd than making it from scratch) so she can make some cupcakes for when daddy gets home.
We are off to have a nap now, I am really lucky she still has a good nap mid day, that really helps.

Oh yes Library we've been there for summer reading challenge, check when they do free story follwed by craft sessions, we even had the circus skills man come and put lots of stuff out.

Museums the council owned ones often do little craft activities too.

ivor Its a shame about your park, ours isnt in walking distance, we have three I drive to that I rotate as they all have different features - ducks to feed/coffee/icecream truck - Im sure DH would never think of such details!

bump I love your throwing the stones in, my DS would love that, and the camping chairs is just masterful!

update just been into town and let DS get the argos book, he is happily looking through it and cutting out his list of things he wants - I dont care if this is encoraging consumerism, he is being kept busy. I know this may not be suitable for toddlers though.

cinema - my DS has happily gone to cinema since he was about 3.5, at Vue cinemas you can get really cheap tickets £1.50 for Sunday am showings, every man, baby and dog goes but its cheap and cheerful. Otherwise odean have half price for adults with O2 rewards, Im using this to go and see the smurfs, as the weather has foiled us today.

I will watch with interest as I am still only 14+3, Im dreading the school run in Dec/Jan with snow.

I'm 27 weeks. I only have DD (2.11) on Tuesdays and Thursdays as I work the other days and she is with DH. On Tuesday we hang out with friends at various places (mostly NT), and Thursdays I try and plan a playdate or we go out. I hate the thought of DD standing in front of the TV all day as she spends most of the morning and evening there. Yesterday we made play doh which kept her entertained for hours.

Bigeyes

Ho ho, yes the throwing stones in is a very cunning plan that my dear old ma suggested actually, she used to do it in the same spots with me when I was a kid and she was expecting my sister(tho I bet there were no such luxuries like highly portable camping chairs back in the unreconstructed 1970s up north).

DD and I've in fact just got back from Fell Foot park at the southern end of Windermere where it was actually SUNNY this morning. DD looked at the boats, chucked stones in and quacked at the ducks, I sat on the bench and read, then we went and had soup in the cafe plus large super strong coffee for me (sod the guidelines), then we kicked a ball a bit and went on the playground.

Perfect timing as just as we left it started to chuck it down in true lake district fashion (as it has been doing all August, grr). Best of all she fell fast asleep in the car and is now sleeping upstairs, hooray (she's been dropping naps recently). Perfectly synced to allow me to open my JoJo maman bebe package that has arrived with stuff for no.2, in perfect peace and tranquility!

As you can tell I'm in a good mood today. The last time this happened was about a month ago, ha ha! Tomorrow we go off to the in laws for a few days, who dote on DD. Hopefully I won't have to lift a finger as MIL will be doing all the cooking and fuss around DD like an old hen. DH is under strict instructions that he is to remember he is not to gang up with his younger (childless) brother and spend the whole break tinkering with bikes in the garage - rather he is to remember that he is a father and he has to be responsible for DD and not leave it all to me by default.

Chin up everybody. Everyone says its easier with toddler and newborn than toddler and 30 + week baby in utero, I'm clinging on to that thought.