Do kids ever outgrow the cranky/difficult/freakin' PITA stage?

There are times I have serious "wtf was I thinking?"

Its been a hellish few weeks and it seems like just as she gets over one thing, she's on to something else that makes her damn near intolerable.

First there was the week with the 110* temps outside which also happened to be the week we quit giving her formula and installed a gate in the living room to keep her contained while we did some spring cleaning.

So she was bitchy about the weather, change in diet and sudden confinement.

Then we took her for her check-up, which meant immunizations which meant cranky weird baby for three days. The day after that clears up, we find out she's allergic to eggs. Okay, dealt with that.

Then another freakin' heatwave and Marc's back to his work schedule. So now she's decided its really cool to get really loud and really high pitched and scream whether we put her down, pick her up, change her diaper or feed her.

Take her outside the apartment, she shuts up. Take her inside the apartment, spazzy bitch-fest.

So after doing the diaper-change, feeding, low lighting, low music, white noise, dancing around the living room, rocking in the rocking chair and destroying every joint in my body routine, FINALLY, she's ready to sleep. At least until five minutes after I've finally unwound enough to go to sleep myself.

And no, she's still not speaking English or walking without assistance. I swear to God, she thinks that stuff is beneath her or something.

I talk to my mom about it, and she thinks its all HILARIOUS. Argh...

I know, I'm the idiot who wanted to kids, but sometimes....*sigh*

Did I mention she's gone from teeny tiny preemie to freakin' amazon baby?

32.5 inches long and nearly 24 pounds, all of it muscle that she uses for tantrums and screaming.

 

She'll outgrow it. Then there's...

??
"because, blah blah blah"
"why?"
"because, blah blah blah"
"why?"
"because, blah blah blah"
"why?"
.
.
.

 

tam enjoy these days while you can once they grow up you will be wishing they were little again. I know i wish mine were old enough to leave the house but i really wish they
were little babies again. good luck you have done a great job so far

 

Oh I remember the days when all I had to worry about was changing diapers and feedings. Now its brush your teeth, pick up your room, feed the animals, what is that on your shirt? why is your brothers lips blue? Is that your blood?

It never ends Tam. Good luck enjoying these years! I know for a fact you will not remember any of the hard times in a couple years. Yeah she's hard now but she's just breaking you in :sly:

 

Nope, it just gets worse as they get older...but on the brite side eventually they move out. (at least that is what I keep telling myself)

 

T...patience is a virtue you have to work on very diligently to master...especially when it comes to babies. Some days you just want to just scream and walk away, i know, been there a few times myself. During those times, do your best to remain sane and calm...maybe set her down in one room, and walk outside for a few minutes and just let her cry, and you go clear your head a bit.

Do you have a swing? One of my daughters LOVED to be outside...no matter the temp, no matter the time...she just wanted the visual and sounds of outside...I bought a CD of night time outside noises to help here sleep, and during those rough times, I could put her in a bouncy or her swing outside and she would be happy as a pig in shit. When it was hot out, i'de bring a fan to help...Plus daddy would get an ice cold beer for a reward!.

Good luck, and don't be SUPER mom...don't be afraid to ask for help, we all need breaks.

 

OMG....after raising 5 what you are going through now is a cake walk compared to their teenage years. My oldest is 42 and my youngest is 17. Things will get better. The best years are from 3 to 12 for sure.....

 

Gabrielle is in that stage now. We combat it by asking "why do you think Gabrielle?" That seems to counter the repetition.

 

Im still at the cranky stage. ;d

 

She's all cute and fun again today. I think its just a late night thing with me. She's awesome during the day, then I get tired and she's less cute and more banshee.

 

Toddle PITA phase is followed shortly by the pre-adolescence PITA phase, afterwhich the adolescent PITA phase will take over followed then by the pre-teen PITA phase. The all hell breaks loose with the Teen PITA phase which is usually preceeds the get the fuck out of my house phase.

Just kidding. My kids are 18 and 20 now and off to college both. They both made being a father very easy. Things I wish:

1) I wish I would've taken more pictures, video or even audio tapes. We have lot's but never enough.
2) I wish I didn't get so upset when really all they did was embarrass me with their behavior. Behavior that in and of itself wasn't all that bad, just embarrassing.
3) I wish I could go back and do it all again. Except the potty training, that about killed me and my wife.

 

Oh and apparently she prefers Marc to me now. Yay, chopped liver.

 

Probably 'cause he went with the better tires on his car.

 

LOL! I dunno, he gets more flat tires than I do.

 

Hahahaha! Okay, its funny reading this now that I find myself dealing with "Terrible Twos." :doh:

She won't keep her clothes on, doesn't understand that you can't go out in the cold in just a diaper and sandals or that you do not HAVE to bring a jacket when its 80 degrees out. :kiss:

All of her words/sentences are of the Imperative sort. (Come here! Come back! Come on! Mama go!) And yes, it is exactly like herding cats any time I need to take her out some where.

Ah well... I'm glad I've posted about stuff like this as I can go back later and chuckle.

 

tam - i feel your pain. when my oldest Colby was young, there were many times i wanted to drive my car into a bridge abuttment at 80mph!! he had colic until the age of 4!! he was the toughest child i could have imagined. tantrums, crying, etc. could not go ANYWHERE with him!

i remember one time right before christmas when we were living in stockton, we were driving in a cargo van i used for work, to the christmas tree farm in elk grove...... i had him in a car seat between the seats (yeah, real safe) and he was screaming.... had his mother in the front seat screaming at me...... i just suddenly started to shake and snapped! yelled at the top of my lungs "I HATE MY FUCKING LIFE"!!!! never have been able to live that one down...lol when his mother and i finally divorced when he turned 4, he bacame great! lol

its all about taking a deep breath and stepping back sometimes. patience is tough to think about in the heat of the moment! like others have said, cherish these times..... colby is now 15 and has brought on a whole new set of headaches as with any other teen ager....... i will say, i am blessed right now. i have a 15 y.o that is the most polite, charming, and well mannered kid i have met and his 5 y.o brother has been the poster child for perfection as a baby,toddler, pre-k kid!!!

hang in there tam...... it is all about the journey with kids that makes it so rewarding!

 

LOL Chris...too funny!

Tam, FWIW, both my kids potty trained themselves, way before I thought it might be time. They both will sleep in 'til noon if you let them...always have. My 12 yo daughter STILL enjoys playing with her 6 yo brother for hours. They both pick up their rooms without asking, just so it isn't cluttered. And so on... I have been so lucky!!!

 

i had a little cousin that used to crap in peoples shoes...i thought that was pretty funny...but she was my cuz not my daughter lol

 

Yes they do.. but I am old school so my replies may not sit well with the younger parents.

1) Don't Be Their Friend.. Be Thier parents.. start early or you will be screwed.

2) You tell them twice - first one with please, next time a little more sternly and the thrid time they get a smack in ass. They already have a crack there so you do not need to be afraid of breaking it!

I do not cater to the idea you must talk too and negotiate with your children... nor do I beleive you should attempt to bribe thme with cookies, candy, McD's or other meams to get them to do what you want. You reward them for being good, behaving well and doing what they are suppose to do.

3) Remind them often that you brought them into this world and you can take them out of it.

4) Teach them to be responsible for their actions and that there are consequences to thier actions - both good and bad..

 

Why do you think I'm exhausted most of the time? I'm the mean Mommy to make up for the doting grandparents and Marc who has a hard time sticking to his guns. And funny enough, she prefers me to everyone else.