As my due date fast approaches, several people have recounted how their children started acting out before the birth of their babies. It seems that kids have a sixth sense that tells them something is about to change in their lives and the uncertainty of what this means causes them to go a little batty. I’m hoping this is true because it sounds better than the alternative that I’ve been contemplating: my children have been taken over by hostile aliens.
Some of it can simply be chalked up to age and sibling rivalry. Being two and excessively fussy and stubborn isn’t exactly new, is it? Being nearly 5 and feeling a bit bossy and sensitive is probably fairly normal as well. Yesterday afternoon, however, it felt like our kids had gone insane. We couldn’t turn our backs for a moment without a fight breaking out, Ezra figured out how to climb out of his crib and refused to take a nap (this is our naptime solution), and they seemed intent on mayhem. By the end of the day, I honestly told my husband I thought it was maybe one of the most difficult parenting days I’d ever had – and we were in it together!
I know that an important piece in all of this is me – I am tired and definitely fighting crankiness. Plus, this fear of change seems to double the constant requests to “play with me” and the odd need to have mom do things for you that you’ve been doing for yourself for more than a year. The strangest thing about yesterday: the true meltdowns occurred after we’d spent a good hour and a half going for a walk and actively playing together at the park as a family.
Don’t get me wrong. My kids are also incredibly sweet and have been more fiercely affectionate lately. They’re as likely to be in cahoots with each other as they are to fight. Plus, the kids have also been so loving and cuddly when they want to be. And I have great hope when I see them with babies of friends because they are so gentle and interested. I wouldn’t trade them for the world – I just wish the aliens would stop invading!
I think what we all need is just for the change we know is coming to come already – just one week (crossing our fingers he will not make us wait) to go!
aww good luck hopefully he comes soon 🙂
Aliens are invading here, too! Take care of yourself. First I have a kid that cries because she wants out of the tub (for a bath she didn’t need anyway– but insisted on taking because I was showering)– while I was getting dried off. Then when I went to get her out, she screamed that she wanted to stay in. I’m 2 inches from yelling ‘make up your d*** mind, kid’ — at her. You’re not alone. I’m cool with not wanting to get out of the bath– it’s fun, right? but to whine on both ends of it is the limit. 🙂 just keep grinning!
Hang in there, Mindy!! You’re on the homestretch and you will all settle into a new normal. The behaviors sound quite typical, but maddening all the same!
Just wait til you get to 3 Kids..I am so busy with 3 that I have not even had time to blog in over a Month. I read Blogs,but I’m so behind..I do not even know where to start. 3 does change everything. My New Baby is so good,but we are out numbered and it’s way harder than I ever expected.
It’s getting so close!
Alien invasion! 🙂
As if nap time weren’t hard enough, then they learn how to get themselves out of bed!
I’ve read enough of your posts to believe your kids are going to be sweet, interested and in love with their new sibling. And they may even give you a break for a couple of days 🙂
Ally