Sashybo - Back Again

sashybo

Feeling a bit better with this cold now but still not getting enough sleep as DS is still waking up loads through the night. He was shouting and laughing again at 2am this morning and nothing we can do will get him to go back to sleep, we just have to leave him in his bed and hope he falls asleep relatively quickly. Sometimes he's awake for hours. 🤷‍♀️ Other times he just cries and cries and nothing I can do will settle him except me sitting on the floor next to his bed. 😩 Then of course he wakes up DD with the noise and they're both exhausted the next day. 😩 He only does this when he's been at nursery and slept a lot better at the weekend.

His behaviour is also hard work atm, he comes home from nursery really tired and grumpy, demanding a "samwich" and has a screaming fit if I say no. But if I give him one then he doesn't eat his dinner and there's another battle. He's really clingy and would probably glue himself to me if he could but he doesn't want to do anything I tell him.

I'm just at the end of my tether with him right now, it's just constant screaming fits and defiance combined with the waking up a million times a night. 😭 I don't have the patience for it and feel like a terrible mother. I just wish he would go back to sleeping properly as I think that would solve a lot of our problems. It's like he hit the age of 3 and turned into a little monster. I know he's reacting to the big changes caused by going to nursery as he likes routine and it's completely upset his daily life. 

Got pretty much nothing done today apart from a washing and hoovering the living room on top of washing dishes. DS was also attacking DD whenever my back was turned so I couldn't do anything unless she was napping in her cot or right in front of me until he went to nursery.

DS also managed to spill loads of water out of his drinking cup all over his bed this morning so I needed to strip the bed and prop up the mattress and pillow to dry out. Luckily the waterproof mattress cover took the brunt of it but the mattress was still wet.

I managed to use some ready rolled pastry to make a cheese and onion quiche for dinner with some of our homegrown new potatoes. Everyone enjoyed it, except DS of course, who would only pick at the shop bought pastry and didn't eat anything else. 🤦‍♀️ Then demanded ice cream. 😖 We compromised on custard so he at least had something in his tummy before bed.

DancingInTheRain

Oh poor you, it will settle down soon and get better but there's nothing worse than everyone's sleep being disturbed so much as it has a massive impact on everything you try to do.
You're a wonderful mother!
Big hugs, take lots of deep breaths, don't try to do too much for a few days - surviving is enough 😘

Sun_Addict

My DS and his OH had similar issues with DGS when he was 3, he's 4 now and still not the best behaved but he has calmed down a bit and doesn't have so many tantrums. You're doing the best you can and lack of sleep will make it seem worse. No doubt the screaming banshee passenger incident hasn't helped either. Like DancingInTheRain says you're a wonderful mother and surviving is enough right now x 

beanielou

Hopefully things will settle down soon. 

Could you give him a mini sandwich. Maybe cut into a cat or a tractor or whatever using a cookie cutter. Or make it into a smilie face with tomato & cucumber or whatever and if he doesn’t eat his tea then it’s not the end of the world. 

sashybo

Thanks Dancing, SA & Beanie. DS slept a bit better last night, he only woke up about 3 times. 🙄 DH managed to get him to go back to sleep the last time and actually stay in his bed which he never does for me. DD didn't wake at all which was good. 

DS is generally pretty good in the mornings although there is generally a fight to get him dressed/change his nappy. He still refuses to even attempt sitting on a potty/the toilet but hates getting his nappy changed. 😩 He just fights everything and it's tiring but so much worse when we haven't slept well. I'm back at work on Sunday for 3 early shifts so I really hope he starts sleeping better.

I just keep losing my temper with him and shouting which is counterproductive as it makes him worse and he starts screaming and crying even more. I know I need to try and stay calm but sometimes it's easier said than done. Poor DD is just upset by all the shouting and crying and doesn't know what's going on. 😔 

DS is fine until he doesn't get his own way then it's screaming, kicking and hitting. He's started throwing things at me as well and generally acting like he's possessed. I just don't have the patience to deal with him and would actually rather be at work sometimes. ☹️ 

So far today we've had two screaming fits over nappy and clothes changes, I've been kicked in the throat and had his juice bottle launched at my head. 😐 I've managed to get a washing on and ingredients thrown in the bread maker for a loaf. DD is having a nap so she missed the most recent meltdown thankfully. 

janb5

It`s really tricky to remember to be a ` good enough Mum`!
There are days when you doubt what they`ve eaten etc and the tantrums seem non stop but you will survive.
Remember to be kind to yourself and all shortcuts are definitely allowed! Life is scary right now and exhausting- it will get better..  promise! xx

sashybo

Thanks jan, yes "good enough" is definitely the best it's going to get at the moment. DS was slightly better yesterday after nursery but kicked off when DH got home and totally refused to eat his dinner. I had given him a cheese sandwich after nursery so he at least had something.

Whilst DS was at nursery yesterday I cleaned the bathrooms and gave the bath toys and mat a bath in sterilising fluid as they were manky. 

No real plans today, have been to the chiropractor and am waiting on a telephone appointment with one of the GP practice nurses as I have an infected toe (yuck) that just seems to be getting worse.

DH is off work today, so we will have a peaceful(ish) lunch with DD after dropping DS off at nursery. DH needs to lower the cot level for DD as she can sit up and is starting to try and pull herself up using the side of the cot. 😱 She is going to topple herself out, so he needs to get that done today but there's nothing else really urgent. 

beanielou

Enjoy your day 😊

Willowtree222

Hopefully DS settles down soon. I remember these days. I read once that they are so tired of being so good all day that when they got home it just explodes. 
You are doing the best as he is fed, watered, loved and has a bed to sleep in. Please don't criticise yourself, you are doing amazing. x

sashybo

Thanks Beanie & Nicnak, had an okay day. I think DS is definitely letting off steam after nursery Nicnak. He was so tired after nursery today that he burst out crying as soon as he saw me. One of the teachers said he went and got his stuff to go home about half an hour early and then lay down as he was tired.

DS had a bit of a screaming fit when we got home as he didn't want to get out of the car and come into the house. 🤷‍♀️ He is in a big high back booster seat now that is isofix but also uses the normal seatbelt so I unplugged the seatbelt for him to get out and he climbed into the middle of the backseat between his seat and DD's instead. I had to climb into the car and drag him into the house. He then screamed and had a tantrum for a good 10 mins, upsetting DD in the process. 😔 

He settled down and watched a bit of tv for a bit then actually ate his dinner as I made him macaroni which he loves. He still didn't eat as much as usual but at least he ate some without having a screaming fit over it. Bedtime consisted of more shenanigans as he finally noticed the toy box in his room and chose bedtime to empty it all out. 😱 Then he kept trying to hit me and run away instead of getting ready for bed. He was so tired that he was really acting out.

After we finally got him settled, DH cooked some of our padron peppers as a wee starter before dinner. They were so tasty just fried at high temp with olive oil then with salt sprinkled over them. Poor DH got a really hot one but that was out of around 10 so not too bad odds wise. He then made us Italian baked eggs for dinner which was yum and we watched Friday Night Dinner on all4, I've never really watched it before but just couldn't stop laughing which was much needed to be honest. 😂 

Cashed out £20 from prolific today, so that will probably be split between the balance transfer and one of the loans. DH won a nintendo switch in some sort of competition 😮 which he was very pleased about but the games are horrendously expensive, some of them cost more than console games. So he doesn't have any games to play on his new gadget yet. 🙄 

Will probably take the kids to see my mum tomorrow as she hasn't seen them since the start of the week. Hopefully I can help her with building DS's bed that I bought ages ago for her house. She wants to get the room finished so that he can stay over with her, she hasn't had him overnight since DD was born and I think she misses having him staying.