STM+ Check-In: February

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

Selfishly starting this, didn't see one this month!

EDD/Weeks + Days:

How old is/are your other kid(s)?

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing?

Any questions/concerns?

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol)

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: 22+4

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 3.5 years, and 17 months

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? 3.5 year old just ditched overnight diapers without much fuss or issue, so that's SUPER EXCITING considering we cloth diaper. Now the overnights are getting less use/abuse, and I'm down to 4 diaper loads per week. (tiny washing machine, but down from 10 loads of diapers per week when both were full time in diapers (for over a year!). 17 month is starting to work on the concept of some communication finally, she's devising a couple of signs, and taking a couple of steps unassisted here and there. Crossing fingers that she finally let's go!!!

Any questions/concerns? Anyone else have a constant issue with meals? My kids are weirdly picky in some ways, but really the problem is just chaos and fits at the table. We usually let they help decide wilts served, help prepare (sometimes just nuking leftovers), and then they get to the table and someone inevitably starts whining or crying about something, again, even if it was already decided and agreed upon. We always make sure there's at least one thing included that each kid likes, and we DON'T try to force them to eat anything. But even if it's not related to the food on their plates, (or in the 17 month old's case, her limited abilities to convey info didn't work and I have no idea what she wants), they'll find something to throw fits about. Someone is always whining or screaming or crying about something. And I just loathe it. I feed 4 meals a day, and I'm eating with 3 of them for sure, but the constant issues make meal time so stressful and awful. It's gotten to the point that I dread feeding them. Every single time. Parents with older kids, does it EVER stop being awful? I don't expect perfection in behavior, but like, staying in seat, not smashing food up or stacking it on your cup (for the 3.5 year old), no throwing food on floor (17 month old), no shoving yourself away from table, no screaming, and ask for additional servings of stuff nicely don't scream about it. That's it...and we're just not managing it.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? My 3.5 year old has a security blanket that in MUST sleep with, but doesn't drag around the house anymore. He also gets attached to a small stuffed animal, but it's fluid and whatever one is newest usually has the most attachment-which is so awesome, as he bring it everywhere, but if it were to get lost or gross, I think we could just gift him a new something and be fine. Younger has 2 very important buddies, but we have duplicates of them for cleaning and can't find it problems! At least I always know what I'm keeping track of with her!

mamaqdubu · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: 24+3

How old is/are your other kid(s)? DS1 is 3.5, DS2 is 2

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? they are doing pretty well! DS2 has becoming more and more independent, but also more and more stubborn by the day. Comes with the territory I guess. They share a room and recently have wanted to read in the same bed which is cute. DS2 right now is still in a crib, but we will be doing a toddler bed transition in March so we can start to put the nursery together with the crib.

Any questions/concerns? I'm getting really nervous about third trimester pains. Only being 24 weeks and already feeling so much downward pressure, I'm really nervous about it. I feel like it gets worse each pregnancy. I'm definitely glad I decided this is our last rodeo.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol)
DS 1's favorite color is Green. Not sure if DS2 has one. Their current favorite toy is the comfort nugget we got them for christmas. DS1 keeps asking to make an "icicle" when he actually means obstacle course lol.

mamaqdubu · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail My oldest is the same age as yours, so I assume we have similar battles. sometimes mealtime is totally fine, and sometimes it's a disaster. I don't have good advice because we have some pretty bad mealtime habits. the TV is on A LOT (which tends to curb some of the initial disasters of just hungry children). One thing i can say is that the least picky i see my kids is when we have a meal served family style instead of filling the plates for them. If i spread out all the food at the table instead of serving from the stove/microwave/etc, they seem to like asking for specific things that they see me and DH taking (and things they would normally turn their nose up if I just put it on their plate.... like broccoli or rice). Thats the only suggestion I have, but I often don't listen to my own advice because we eat after they go to bed A LOT as well.

thepretzelchick · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 25/24+2

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 6 and 7

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? Better than last week. She had a weird stomach virus, I think? She threw up once at school but never again and ran a fever for 3 days. He got a cold and it went to his chest within hours, so his asthma got triggered. He's been really responsible this time around with telling me when he felt he needed his nebulizer and remembering to use his inhalers. Because of last week's illnesses, we missed karate, so we have to catch up this week and run ragged a bit. They have a certain number of classes they have to attend per quarter before moving up to their next belt, so between sickness and the dojo being closed for half of December, it's gonna be 3x/week for the next month.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? DS is dark green. DD is rainbow. DD's favourite toys the Barbie camper and jet she and DS got for Christmas. I haven't moved them upstairs to the disaster that currently is her bedroom, so they reside on a table in the front room. She is so careful and good about cleaning the tiny accessories up and back into their ziploc bags when she's done. She spent 12 hours doing nothing but playing with those on Christmas day, and she'd stay up all night playing still if I let her. I love her ability to have solo play and listen to all the story lines she comes up with for her Barbies and Disney princesses. Her imagination is amazing.
DS' favourite "toy" is his spiral notebook, pencils, and Scotch tape. He loves writing lists and stories and plotting out alternate universes. He's currently moving, in his imagination, from house to house that I lived in as a kid. There were a bunch, since I'm a military brat, so this will go on for awhile. Tonight, he "moved" to Yuma, AZ for the next few months

So he made packing lists and job listings and completely organized his whole "move" in his notebook.

rachelg777 · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail I don't have a ton of advice, but we went through something similar with DS throwing food on the floor this fall (he's now 21 months). What finally ended up working for us was a huge PITA but now we don't have as many issues (for the most part). Basically, every time he threw anything on the floor (at daycare or at home) we took him out of his high chair, had him pick it up and put it in the trash himself, and say "food belongs on the tray/table". It took a few weeks and was really frustrating, but we had tried everything. Things fall on the floor by accident now and occasionally on purpose, but not like it was before.

@mamaqdubu That is so adorable about reading in bed together. Also, I've heard nuggets are amazing!

@thepretzelchick I love your descriptions in the GTKY! Makes me really excited for those ages.

EDD/Weeks + Days: 5/14, 26 weeks

How old is/are your other kid(s)? DS is 21 months

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? I really love the age he's at. He's starting to communicate more and more and it's so amazing/adorable to watch. His new reply if we ask him if he wants to do/have this or that is "Yes, I do!" He starts his first swimming lesson this weekend so I'm really excited for that.

Any questions/concerns? Not that I can think of.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? He's really into cars/construction trucks at the moment. He will bring like 5 trucks out and park them next to each other and say "wow!" We also have a lot of construction going on in the neighborhood so he looooves watching that.

chewie5990 · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: 5.20 - 25W1D

How old is/are your other kid(s)? DS is 4

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing?
He's doing good - we are in the middle of winter soccer season which has been fun and he started snowboarding classes in the mountains 1 day a week - they have an awesome preschool program that DS LOVES and he's doing so much better this year than last year!

Any questions/concerns?
My OB thinks I pulled a muscle in my abdomen from carrying DS too much...I've had this constant 24/hr a day aching in my upper left side of my stomach which sucks. So I'm trying really hard not carry him as much - especially up and down the stairs. It's hard though because I feel like soon he will be old enough to not want to be carried and I will miss all the snuggles!

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it?
DS's favorite color is blue and black together and right now he's really into PJ Mask and magnatiles. We were able to find a small used set of magnatiles on the FB marketplace for a cheap price, but I would like to get him more - I just can't even justify spending that kind of $$ on toys though!

chewie5990 · February 2020

@mamaqdubu I feel you on the stubborness! I kept hoping it was a phase...but it's been only getting worse!

bananapanda · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail Is there something else you can let the kids have a choice in so they will be happier at the table? For example do they want to pick which chair they sit in or maybe give them a "chore" like handing out napkins or something? DD is between the ages of your littles but she likes picking her chair and which chair mommy and daddy get. Lately it's been the same, but when she first started she mixed it up and thought it was the funniest thing ever to sit in different seats.

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 13/26+1

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 2.5

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? Pretty good. She has a nasty cold right now so lots of coughing etc, but aside from that things are going well. It's a really fun age, and she is so cute talking about her baby sister and giving my belly kisses all the time. I had 3 goals with her before baby gets here which I figured was a long shot to do them all but they were potty training, get rid of the binky, and move her to her own room (currently in a toddler bed in our room). She's been fully potty trained for a few months (day and night!!), and her "big girl room" isn't ready yet because DH is slacking haha he's been busy in the garage working on his race car since racing season starts in a couple months also so we have competing priorities here. Anyway, she's super attached to her binky (only for sleeping and sometimes in the car, but she has to have one in her mouth and at least one in her hand). I decided to start slowly and get a few books about getting rid of the binky. Well we had like 4 books that came on Tuesday and so we read them all and talked about it and how babies need binkies but once you're bigger you can have other things etc and we discussed what things she would like instead of a binky. That evening she willingly handed me her binkies and fell asleep without even asking for it and slept all night without it! I thought it was a fluke so tried again yesterday and she did great for both nap time and bedtime. I'm assuming there's no way it can possibly be this easy so I'm not considering her "done for good" for a few more days, but this is definitely a good start. She has little people princess figures she has been holding at bedtime instead of her binkies which is adorable. So after a few weeks of this and kicking DH into high gear on her new room we can maybe attempt to get her in her room. Honestly I think I will have more of an issue with it than she will because I'm a nervous nelly and hate the idea of her upstairs and so far away from us if anything were to happen, and I love having her snuggles when she wakes up in the middle of the night every so often. Also I'm selfish and lazy and hate the idea of dragging my pregnant butt up the stairs at 2am if she does wake up, but if she wakes up in the middle of the night it's almost always mommy she wants so not sure if DH would suffice or not. Eh we'll cross that bridge in a month or so (maybe).

Any questions/concerns? Anyone else with bedrooms on different levels have any great advice or ways to ease my mind about the transition?

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? DD loves pink and her new favorite obsession is unicorns. Thankfully unicorn things are so easy to find so we have lots of options lol. I'm also with @mamaqdubu that DD's favorite is still her nugget. We have 2 in the living room and one in the basement and sometimes make huge forts or obstacle courses out of all of them. With her not feeling well this week her favorite is making a bed out of two of them and making me lay with her to watch tv or read books.

chewie5990 · February 2020

We also have meal time battles...DS just never wants to sit down and eat because he's in the middle of playing or watching something on TV. We started giving a 10 minute dinner warning and kinda counting down to help, but it's still hard just to get through a meal without some sort of issue. I miss when he was 1-2 and would literally eat anything happily in his highchair. Now it's constantly "I don't want that" and getting out of his chair 100 times for various things. I'm pretty big on family dinner at the table and that idea is important to me so we try to be strict in that now is dinner time, if you don't want to eat, you can sit and talk to mom and dad while we eat. He always ends up eating mostly everything, but it sure does take forever!

rachelg777 · February 2020

I thought of a question. So DS is 21 months and for about the last 1-2 weeks he has been going into the bathroom, taking off his pants/diaper, and peeing on the potty. Sometimes multiple times. We definitely praise and encourage him when he does it. My question is - is he actually ready to potty train? Like is this a sign I should start being more proactive with him or is this just a phase? His verbal communication isn't quite there yet to tell us when he needs to go but it seems like he is definitely cognizant of the urge.

ruby696 · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail Re: throwing food on the floor/getting out of seats, etc. We started taking plates away. Just for a moment, but we'd usually say, "you must not be very hungry." And then we'd move the plate away. Once they asked for it back, we asked if they were ready to eat again and we gave it back. We did not excuse them from the table because I didn't want to teach them they could get up, play, then come back and start eating. It worked pretty well. Mine are 3.5 and 5 now, and honestly, mealtime is still a pain. But at least we can all communicate better now and that makes it a lot easier.

@bananapanda We took DS's pacifier away because he got a rash on the side of his mouth from moisture and DD lost hers when she got HFM. With both, we explained why it wasn't good for them to use them anymore (rash and illness) and they were both fine. I think if it's explained in a way they can understand and make sense of, the transition is much easier.

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 14/26 weeks

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 5 and 3.5

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? They're doing really well. Both are so excited for the babies and they're doing great at school. DD is a total threenager, so that's been...fun. But otherwise, I love that they're at an age where they can articulate themselves so well. Some of their vocabulary is so impressive to me and it's so fun just having conversations with them.

Any questions/concerns? Not that I can think of...

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol) My kids love their Kiwibox subscriptions. We decided to get them in order to have some fun projects they can work on once the babies are here, and they totally love then. They each get one monthly and they're so excited when they come. The projects are pretty neat and definitely beneficial for brain development - it amazes me how much they can do now, since part of me still thinks of them as my babies. Sadly, I prefer MH do most of the projects. I just want to sit down and read a book at this point. 😆 Seriously though, they come in different age ranges and I highly recommend of you're looking for something fun and interactive, especially when the weather isn't great.

bananapanda · February 2020

@rachelg777 that seems like a good sign to me, so I would run with it! I've heard 20-30 months is the "sweet spot" for potty training so it's definitely not too early. I would just be careful not to push it if he starts losing interest but would definitely give it a shot. Good luck!

lajoliedreamer · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days:
May 15/25w6d

How old is/are your other kid(s)?
DD 3yo

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing?
Pretty well, overall. Still ambivalent about potty training which isn't helped by one of her daycare teachers always giving her an out. The last couple of days she has asked for underwear in the afternoons there, done really well until they spend time outside. She tells a teacher she has to go, but by the time they get inside and start taking off the snow gear, it's too late. Which is really no big deal, it takes practice to learn the signs early enough to avoid an accident in a situation like that and I can wash anything that gets dirty. Her teacher this morning at drop-off praised how well she has been doing then followed it by suggesting a diaper outside (under the underwear). It annoys me because she won't learn if she constantly has an out and she is the type of kid who will find lots of exceptions once she knows it's an option. This same teacher made the same suggestion a couple months ago when DD was having the same issue and DD stopped asking to wear underwear after that for weeks - now I'm afraid we'll be set back again. We have a teacher conference next week and I am definitely bringing that up.

Any questions/concerns?
None

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it?
She is very into purple right now and has been for awhile. I have worked hard not to have only pink/purple/traditionally girly clothes so it makes me cringe a bit. I'm not against tutus and girly things in general, I just didn't want to raise a stereotype, you know?

As for favorite toy, her lovey for bedtime is a stuffed turtle puppet from Ikea. We have a strict rule about him staying in her bedroom because I don't want to be in a situation where we go to do bedtime and can't find him. Sometimes she's tried to push the rule, but most of the time now she'll laugh and put him back if she discovers she accidentally walked out of her room with him.

ruby696 · February 2020

@lajoliedreamer DD has a teacher that routinely forgets to make her use the bathroom before they go outside to play in the afternoons. She kept having accidents and she has been in panties with no issues outside of school for over a year. Yesterday when I picked her up, that same teacher saw me, got an alarmed look on her face and rushed over to tell me she forgot to have DD use the bathroom again. Luckily I got her to the bathroom without an accident. But come on! How hard is it to remind young kids that they need to use the bathroom before play time?? You can't expect a toddler to consistently stop playing and ask a teacher early enough to get to the bathroom on time. So annoying. I would definitely bring it up at the teacher conference.

ETA: autocorrect

chewie5990 · February 2020

@rachelg777 I would say definitely go for it! If they are interested and taking initiative then they are probably ready and will be more willing to try. We potty trained DS at 26w and it took about 4 days and he was good to go (of course the very occasional accident happened, but for the most part good). I highly recommend the book "Oh Crap!" I just followed the steps and we didn't have any big issues. Good Luck!

mamaqdubu · February 2020

@bananapanda what an awesome binky transition! I hope it stays that way!

@rachelg777 my DS2 is 2 yrs 3 months and he's been doing the same thing for a few months. I'm in the camp of not training until fully ready. We waited until we saw longer dry diaper times from DS1 before we trained (at about 2.5) and it took him literally 1 weekend to get it during his awake times (probably a total of 4-5 accidents over the next week). Night times took a while longer, but I'd say its easier to wait then try and fail. I also find that every single kid is different though... so what worked for me might not work for anyone else.

rachelg777 · February 2020

Thanks for the perspectives everyone! I have no idea what I'm doing regarding potty training so I guess the first thing is to do a little research and then decide from there with what we think will be best.

ruby696 · February 2020

@rachelg777 We also loved the "Oh, Crap!" book. We got it on Amazon. It's a pretty short read, so you might want to check it out.

bananapanda · February 2020

@rachelg777 I don't think any of us know what we are doing when it comes to stuff like this especially since all kids are different. Just take it slow and follow his lead and it might be easier than you think. That approach worked for us and everyone was amazed how easy it was so it's probably partially that we got lucky but also following the child's lead and making sure he is ready. But again, everyone is different and we're all just winging it

rachelg777 · February 2020

@bananapanda Okay that's great to hear! MH said the other day, "It can't be this easy, right?" and I was like "No, this is definitely a trick." But I guess we will see how it eventually plays out!

bananapanda · February 2020

@rachelg777 ha that's exactly how I'm feeling with the binky situation! They got her down for a nap at daycare without it which was another hurdle I worried about so does this mean we are good now? Only time will tell!

rachelg777 · February 2020

@bananapanda Fingers crossed!

adventuresawait2 · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 12th, 26+2

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 19 months

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? She is so toddler-y right now. Learned the phrase "no stroller" and "no manos (hands)" - getting into the stroller at the end of the day at daycare or being safe in a parking lot, etc. is so stressful these days. And picking her up all the time is getting tougher on me.

Any questions/concerns? Any good books or advice on toddler-dom? Also super interested in these potty training ideas. We have been thinking we will wait until the fall when DD is two and baby is born - now feels a little early and I just can't quite deal with it. But maybe I'm missing some window here...?

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol) DD loves taking laps with her baby doll in her toy stroller.

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m6agua · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 14 / 26 weeks!

How old is/are your other kid(s)? DD-3

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? She is great! I have to say overall she has been an easy kid. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments, but nothing too terrible yet. Lately she has been wanting to give a hug and kiss goodnight to baby brother and it melts my heart.

Any questions/concerns? No questions, I'm mainly concerned about getting her room set up by the end of this month. I want to transition her now so she doesn't feel like baby brother is stealing her "room" (the nursery) and kicking her out.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? Her favorite colors are pink and purple and she tells us ALL THE TIME! It's cute, but I also don't need to hear it over and over. As for toys, she seems to really cycle through and go through phases with items. She will play with one thing for a week or so and then transition to another thing. She is like that overall, which is nice because she doesn't have a favorite blanket or stuffed animal that we have to worry about always having.

m6agua · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail DD is 3. Food and dinner time I think is one of the hardest parts of parenting for me. By the time I pick her up and we get home (5:30) she is hungry, but if I give her a snack she has no appetite for dinner. So it is a struggle to get something quick out so she doesn't have a major melt down from hunger. But if I give her a snack, then I need to push dinner time back a bit. Also I do at least half the evenings solo with DD since H works late a lot. Then the food itself is difficult, especially since I've learned a lot about good whole foods/nutrition in my own health journey the last 3 years. I want to feed her these foods, but she is somewhat picky and feeding whole foods takes much more effort/time than putting chicken nuggets or hot dogs out for her. I have to say I do let her "play" with her food and get messy a little since I think that is part of the discovery phase and it helps her actually want to try things. Recently she has been into the Dr Seuss book "Green Eggs & Ham" which has helped with getting her to at least try things. I started calling it a Taster Bite, saying that she needs to at least take a taster bite and if she doesn't like it that is fine. I've also found putting out her fruit/sweet with the meal helps her actually eat and/or try the meal itself.

@mamaqdubu Yes this pregnancy I am feeling everything much sooner! I'm hoping the 3rd tri isn't too hard to bear. I might have to try that tip about serving the food from the table! I also agree DD does better if we all sit down for a meal together, but it is hard!

@thepretzelchick Sounds like the kiddos will be keeping you busy this month! I remember spending hours with my friend setting up our Barbies and houses only to be done and want to leave everything to come back and actually play with later. I'm pretty sure it drove my parents nuts, we would set them up in the hall way, on the stairs and in other inconvenient spots.

@rachelg777 I hope swimming lessons go well! It probably wouldn't hurt to go with his lead a bit on potty training. Maybe get some books to read and start talking about what you do/say when you feel the urge. Maybe have him pick out some underwear or switch to pull-ups so he can practice with those. DD was pretty easy to potty train and we had potty's out and she would sometimes go at that age, but we didn't train fully until a couple months before she turned 3, mainly because that is when we had the time to focus on it. It is really important that both you and the kid are ready, if you aren't ready to put in the time it will not help.

@chewie5990 We really want to get our kids into soccer and snowboarding. DH and I did/do both.

@bananapanda I hope the no binky continues going well! No advice on the bedrooms, we are on the same floor.

@ruby696 I think we may have to jump on the Kiwibox bandwagon.

@lajoliedreamer That is annoying that the teacher keeps undermining the progress when there are accidents! I do think consistency is key with training. Can she make sure DD goes before they go outside? How long are they outside for? My DD is also into really girly things which is tough since I was a total tomboy growing up and have never been super girly.

chewie5990 · February 2020

@m6agua soccer is pure chaos at this age, but it's pretty funny to watch! We started DS snowboarding as soon as he turned 3 and he really enjoys it! I can't wait until he's a little older and it can be a family activity that we all enjoy!

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

Ugh. Thanks all for your thoughts on our hard meal times.

It's hard to have two very different kids both having meal issues differently. Bigger kid (3.5 years) at least tries his food, and we let him help with every single freaking aspect of getting it to table. But he finds things to fight about most days. Like, the wrong color cup or plate, even when we gave him the one he wanted. Idk. The whole age is just a constant argument. Little one (17 months) has almost no words and isn't walking, and needs to sit in her booster. She only throws food when she's pissed about something...but she's pissed about SOMETHING every single meal. And she can't tell us. Sometimes I just think it's that it took too long to get her food...but them getting her the food doesn't quite fix it-it's like she already started a crying cycle of a certain length, and she can't end it early, so we just have to listen to it until it's done. It's so wearing....And she won't try new things generally. I can get her to lick a new food, but usually just once. Not even once per meal it's offered-just once total.

So I'm just at a loss, but it's so stressful.

Maybe it's just another damned phase to live with.

We can't even regularly just put TV on to shut it all up-our only TV is on a different floor, and requires way too much carrying food up and down the stairs, plus kids sitting on floor at coffee table. So we try to save that for special occasions (or a once per week treat!) when my husband is there, with me not walking well, I'm avoiding stairs as much as I can.

We definitely do have our treat/dessert just out on their plates from the start. Were hoping to get back to serving family style, but for now if there are any extra dishes on table while we eat the younger one just points and yells at it and won't eat. I'm so ready for her to start using words to relate to us. I feel like it would cut down on a lot of her frustration.

soprano19 · February 2020

@bananapanda good luck with the binky transition! We got rid of the binky a few months ago by cutting off the tips of all the ones I could find. DD1 basically gave it up on her own once I did that.

EDD/Weeks + Days: May 13/26+1

How old is/are your other kid(s)? DD1 is 2

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? She's fighting off a cold right now, but I think she's getting better rather than worse. Other than that, she's doing well. She had kind of a tough time transitioning back to daycare after Christmas break when we were home for two weeks, but I think we're past that now.

Any questions/concerns? Not really a concern because I'm not worried about it, but like @rachelg777, I'm kind of trying to follow DD1's lead on potty training. She likes to sit on her little toilet fully clothed

but she rarely expresses interest in actually taking off pants/diaper and going. At this point it's clear to me that she's not ready enough for us to push it, so we'll probably wait till after the new baby is here.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? Her current favorite color is purple, and her favorite toy is probably a tie between Legos and her baby doll along with its blanket and pretend bottle of milk. I'm cool with those. Legos obviously foster creativity and she can either do it independently or with us, and I'm all for her learning what it means to take care of a baby so she can help when DD2 is here and understand when I need to feed the baby and things like that.

queenklau · February 2020

@pourmeanothermocktail, just adding to the advice and solidarity regarding toddlers and meal time. My DD1 is 3 years and change and seems like she has snakes in her but, because she wiggles so much and slides to the sides of the chair... It is also a constant battle just to remind her to sit right on the chair. We probably ask her 5 times on average for every meal. As your oldest, she has specific preferences for which spoon, cup she wants that day. Anyways, I pick my battles, one of them is having her stay seated (even if wiggly) while everyone is eating. We have the TV off for the most part to avoid distractions. Some days she eats everything we eat, some days, she will eat some and be done. We keep the leftovers for the next meal and she is usually hungry by then. I agree with your assessment that it is a phase in their lives- hang in there momma!

@mamaqdubu, YAAS, everything feels heavier and slower sooner than last time. I keep thinking I still have 15 weeks left, sooooooo much.

@thepretzelchick & @m6agua, me and my sister used to also create a whole production with our 20+ barbies. When we were a little older we made movies with them. So fun! Kid's imaginations are incredible. Try to capture some of it so that you can watch it with them when they are older.

@rachelg777, potty training was such a struggle for us because we kept pushing our DD to start when she wasn't ready. Once we followed her lead and went with the flow (~2.5), she kind of just started doing it on her own. It helps to casually set the foundational knowledge early on (prior to 2). Also, none of the "methods" worked for us (naked time, over the weekend, straight to panties etc etc)
1. We would show her how WE went to the bathroom (since around 2)
2. Having the potty or seat accessible if/when she wanted to try (also since before she turned 2)
3. Reading books about potty training regularly (Our daughter liked the Elmo one)
4. Praising her/Huge party everytime she would go in the potty
5. Bought some panties with her favorite character at the time (Moana and Coco)
It somehow just clicks at some point, she was stubborn so she wanted to do it in her own terms & time...
It is a great sign that your LO is interested in it, follow his lead!

@lajoliedreamer, that's annoying & frustrating that they are not helping with the training but rather making it more difficult for her to make it on time. Our daycare asks them constantly if they want to go. I think they all go mid-morning, after lunch and before going outside. They have them all on a schedule because at that age is so tough for them to know in advance. Maybe something to remind her at home that before going outside she should go potty, make it habit so that she remembers? But anyways, it shouldn't be on her, if she is the one learning!

DD/Weeks + Days: May 25, 24w5d

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 3yr 2months

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? She is doing well, I think we have passed the frequent horrible tantrum stage and on to the only sometimes/seldom tantrum stage, haha! She is pretty funny now, can hold a conversation and remembers some of the silliest things. It's a fun, surprising and challenging age. She has been talking to my belly, which is cute and no longer thinks the baby is in her belly. I think it would be nice to take her to the 30-32 weeks growth scan to see her sister.

Any questions/concerns? Thinking to the future, and since we probably won't move/size up right away, any advice on room sharing for a ~4 year old and ~6 month old? We plan to keep the new baby with us in our room for as long as possible, but who knows if we will make it to 5-6 months. Our DD1 thrived in her own room around 8 weeks...kinda worried.

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol)
My DD loves the color BLUE and the number 1. Toy-wise, she still thinks her small Elmo (she has a bigger one too) is #1, and loves her little minnie and mickey stuffed animals she got for christmas. Overall, she likes things that have a mini version, she calls them "hername" size and then normal version is mommy size.

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

@queenklau My 3.5 year old and 17 month old room share. Started at about 15 months tho. Would have been earlier, but she wasn't even kinda sleeping mostly through the night until then. Our first is a terrible sleeper, always has been, so her waking him up MOTN was a big deal. We tried it earlier and it resulted in the worst week ever. So back to our room she came, but still in his room for naps (we had new bed in his room, mini crib in ours), to keep them used to the idea, and really worked with her on sleeping better for a month. Then moved her back over and it's bad much better since. If she was doing alright on sleep at 6 months, it would have been fine at that age. Just remind big kid not to put anything in crib with baby. An OK-to-Wake clock helped us too so that now if she wakes him earlier, they can both usually go back to sleep.

lajoliedreamer · February 2020

@ruby696 - exactly, it's part of the job for a toddler teacher so I don't feel like it's expecting too much! Also, DD received a quarter of koalacrate for the holidays and has gotten one so far which was fun for us both to do together plus taught her things she didn't know about mixing colors. I'm going to be sad when it's over and will have to put it on her wishlist for future gifts.

@rachelg777 - I'd encourage using the potty if he's already taking the initiative! I missed a window of opportunity about a year ago with DD because conditions weren't perfect (only one small bathroom in our apartment, no laundry on-site) and now it's a huge struggle. Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, but I often wonder if we'd be long done with it if I had better embraced it then. He may not be completely ready, but you should give him all the tools he needs to succeed and see where it goes.

@bananapanda - I hope the binky weaning ends up to be that easy for you!

@mamaqdubu - what's a comfort nugget?

@pourmeanothermocktail - we try hard to eat as a family and give DD what we’re eating, but it’s hit and miss what she’ll do with it. We aim for her to at least try what’s on her plate, but will offer something else if she is playing/ refusing to eat after about 10 minutes. When we do give her something else, we try not to give her an open-ended “what do you want” option, but rather offer her one or two two options that we have on hand. Good luck! Mealtimes can be so frustrating!

(I typed these all up days ago and forgot to hit post! 🤦‍♀️)

ruby696 · February 2020

@queenklau DS was almost two when we moved DD into his room at 5ish months. The first week was an adjustment, but they learned to sleep through whateve issue the other one was having. They're 3.5 and 5 now and both are great sleepers (when they're not sick). The twins will be sharing a room too and I expect they'll learn to sleep through whatever noise the other makes.

afranzen85 · February 2020

Sorry, late to this thread as usual

EDD/Weeks + Days: 5.16/ 26+1

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 2.5, 4 next month and 7

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing?
2.5 year old decided she wanted to wesr underwesr last week. She's doing awesome and I'll be free of diaper laundry for a couple months!!

Almost 4 year old is struggling with big emotions the couple weeks. She's testing her boundaries again. Trying to stay consistent.

7 year old...whew, didn't realize teenage-like attitudes started so early

Any questions/concerns? Nope

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol)

2 year old loves to draw, 4 year old loves dinosaurs and 7 year old loves everything outer space

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

@lajoliedreamer Mealtimes ARE so frustrating. We try really hard not to offer anything additional once we're at table, because at that point, they already have 4-5 options each, and at least one is something each kid likes. But if we bring new food out for one, the other one wants it too. On top of when I'm home alone with them, that's more getting up a million times during the meal and walking around which all hurts. Sigh. I'm so tired of my body failing me.

bananapanda · February 2020

@lajoliedreamer this is the nugget comfort https://nuggetcomfort.com/products/the-nugget?variant=21064671723638 it looks so simple, but it is so versatile! We use it to make forts, mazes, obstacle courses, build ramps, slides, seesaws, houses etc and also just for laying on to read or watch movies. We bought one last January and loved it so much we ended up buying 2 more!

We seem to be done with the binky for good. DD will ask for it maybe once or twice if she's struggling to get to sleep, but not crying for it just ask and then move on. The only issue now is she is waking up really cranky like inconsolably angry kicking, screaming, yelling "go away!" and then begging for me to come back just to yell some more. I'm not sure if it's somehow related to the binky or just a phase that happens to coincide with the timing of taking it away. Anyone have any experience with this?

lajoliedreamer · February 2020

pourmeanothermocktail said:

@lajoliedreamer Mealtimes ARE so frustrating. We try really hard not to offer anything additional once we're at table, because at that point, they already have 4-5 options each, and at least one is something each kid likes. But if we bring new food out for one, the other one wants it too. On top of when I'm home alone with them, that's more getting up a million times during the meal and walking around which all hurts. Sigh. I'm so tired of my body failing me.

I never thought I would be that parent that would offer other food, and I know I'm lucky that most nights DD will nibble enough of what we put in front of her so it's not that we're doing it all the time, but I think it will be different when I have two eaters with wanting what someone else is having. No way I will want to deal with the extra drama!

pourmeanothermocktail · February 2020

@lajoliedreamer The two making drama off each other KILLS me, especially considering that they are differently picky! And the little one is the worst for tantrums during meals that seem to never end-but she can't even ask for/tell me what she wants...ugh.

Dinlove · February 2020

EDD/Weeks + Days: 5.26

How old is/are your other kid(s)? 5 and 2 both getting a birthday in March.

How is/are your kiddo(s) doing? 5 is in kindergarten and we’re doing a hybrid homeschool which has been really fun and really humbling. She is starting to read and I’m so proud of her!!! 2 is learning a lot about obeying. They both are excited to hold the baby. They go from plying nicely to one of them crying quite quickly but I’m not surprised as that was a similar relationship with my sister growing up who I have a great relationship with now lol.

Any questions/concerns?
Um.... so yeah with 2 children I am not feeling any second trimester energy boost anyone else?

GTKY: Does your kid have a favorite color or toy, and do you like/have it? (idk, I'm terrible at GTKY questions, lol) My girls love to look at books and I was a HUGE reader when I was younger and am trying to get back into the habit. Yay for audiobooks!

thepretzelchick · February 2020

@Dinlove Yeah, there is zero energy boost over here.

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