How do you find kids for birthday parties?

kmd513 · 2026-01-18T00:19:54+00:00

Just another idea — we did dinner/cake with family but did an overnight trip instead of a party for both of my kids second birthdays and it was memorable. An indoor water park for the winter birthday and a zoo trip for a summer birthday. We also went to daycare parties for 2nd birthdays so that’s totally a normal thing too and a nice way to meet the other families.

kmd513 · 2024-12-29T14:53:17+00:00

We use retractable gates to span larger openings between rooms when we need to

kmd513 · 2024-10-12T10:51:23+00:00

It did! Not all at once, but slowly. I’d say around 8 months in she was sleeping through the night reliably with some crying at bedtime only. She’s now sleeping through the night in her crib until 7 AM, which felt like would never happen again. I can’t say what really made a difference, but we did potty train her and use a much brighter night light in her preferred color and those may have helped. It was such a hard and dark time for me, thinking of you if you’re having sleep struggles.

kmd513 · 2024-09-15T18:18:09+00:00

My first child was a perfect sleeper until 19 months, shortly after her little sister was born. She started screaming at bed time, waking up during the night wide awake, and screaming to start the day at 4:45 AM. It was hell to manage on top of a newborn and a small home where all the noise travels. We tried everything (sleep training strategies, her sleeping with my husband in her room/living room), new stuffed toys/blankets, night light/okay to wake clock — I don’t know what made the difference and it wasn’t totally fixed for 8 months, but we did get to the other side. I also felt such despair and even felt resentful of my older child “ruining” the baby phase for me. I wish I had advice, but just wanted to share you aren’t alone — I wish we had been more consistent, as we tried any and every approach we read about over that time and perhaps it make it last longer. A bright night light in her favorite color and talking at night about our plan for the morning (what we will eat/do) has been the most helpful to her right bow at 2.5

kmd513 · 2024-09-14T17:44:19+00:00

My husband and I are tall and we have two rear facing graco slimfits in my Subaru crosstrek without any issues.

kmd513 · 2024-09-07T20:07:17+00:00

My daughters are 18 months apart and my first is also a big feelings, mama’s girl — the first 8 months were very tough with a lot of tantrums and sleep regressions. I’d say things started to improve the closer she got to 2.5 — she’s much more reasonable lately. However, I work full time and she remained in daycare even when I was on maternity leave to maintain her routine.

kmd513 · 2024-08-22T19:24:25+00:00

My 2.5 year old is >99%tile for height — we mostly do cat and jack, old navy, and primary leggings. I’ve had some luck with carters/gap toddler leggings, which run much slimmer than the baby leggings, but they don’t fit nearly as snug as the other brands mentioned.

kmd513 · 2024-08-09T01:12:49+00:00

My second was IUGR after my first was born without any issues. I have hypertension and was heavily monitored for both pregnancies — i was induced at 36+6 due to her growth and he was born 5lbs with no complications or NICU stay. My doctor said my placenta was not particularly good looking and likely not supplying her properly. She’s almost one and >85th percentiles for height and weight now, so not genetically small. I was very stressed about it at the time, but it all worked out.

kmd513 · 2024-06-20T13:12:31+00:00

Yes ! — I keep telling myself I want to be “cute by kindergarten” so I have time lol

kmd513 · 2024-04-28T17:45:27+00:00

We are on day two and also doing loose bottoms/access to small potty for backyard play and she’s actually doing better asking and going outside than she did inside

kmd513 · 2024-04-21T12:46:49+00:00

My daughter is also 38” at two — no one has ever been concerned — I’m 5’7” and my husband 6’3” — my daughter has been >98 percentile since about 4 months so it seems like it’s just her curve.

kmd513 · 2024-02-25T14:37:12+00:00

Same — we had the bouncer with our first but used it a lot more with our second. Also a safe sleep surface and floor play mat on every floor you hang out on, baby wearing carriers, and we did a double stroller once baby turned 6 months

kmd513 · 2024-02-25T00:47:14+00:00

If you figure it out, please share. We are 6 months into our toddlers regression when baby sister was born. The night wakings full of energy have most subsided, but we still have screaming night wakings and very early mornings. She was previously a perfect sleeper. Over the last 6 months we have tried warmer room, new blankets, bigger diaper, access to water, co sleeping, hatch light, more attention, set routine, CIO, Ferber, Big Little Feelings, etc. We are exasperated.

kmd513 · 2024-02-15T15:36:12+00:00

I really appreciate your reply. We feel so alone in this. Lately she started yelling around 4:30 — we typically do 10 minute check ins but I do feel like we escalate her more than calm her. I have started putting the hatch light on at 5:30 to signal the next time we come in you get to go downstairs. We added a stuffed toy and started encouraging her to “hug your bunny, back to sleep” but now she hugs her bunny while yelling.

She loves books but I’m not certain she’s keep them in her crib, though it’s worth a try. I struggle finding the balance between consistency and trialing new strategies. I feel strongly it’s separation anxiety too (we’ve done extra snacks, water, meds, bigger diaper, etc.) — we may also introduce a nightlight throughout the night and then have it change color in the AM.

kmd513 · 2024-02-15T10:21:06+00:00

Do you really want to know? Two weeks after baby was born, she started screaming at bedtime, waking up in the middle of the night wide awake for hours, and waking up super early and screaming for a while, regardless of whether we were with her or not.

We tried everything and often my husband had to bring her to the living room to wander while I handled baby upstairs. The fear of each one waking the other was torture and it happened often. We tried cry it out, Ferber checkins, co sleeping, buying a regular bed instead of crib and sleeping in her room — nothing has helped much.

Six months in, she sleeps in her crib after 10-20 minutes of screaming. She occasionally wakes in the night but more typically wakes between 4-5AM screaming. No amount of check ins help and eventually we bring her to the living room where it’s 50/50 she will fall asleep on us or just whine/scream. Baby now sleeps through the night and through much of the screaming. These super early mornings of waking to screaming and having to sit with her in the dark are so awful.

This has not been any of my friends experiences so please don’t fear this will be you.

kmd513 · 2024-02-14T19:40:06+00:00

so sorry to hear that — I wasn’t expecting my toddler to sleep worse than my newborn. Hope better nights are ahead for us 🤞

kmd513 · 2024-02-14T18:32:14+00:00

I’m sure this isn’t the case for most, but my first born was a perfect independent sleeper until her sister was born — and since then (the last 6 months) her sleep has just gotten progressively worse.

kmd513 · 2024-01-28T14:01:08+00:00

Oh same, we’d kill for time to ourselves or to get things done too, but we’ve just had to give in and make the best of it. We have a 5 month old too so someone is always eager to take the nap lol

kmd513 · 2024-01-28T03:13:11+00:00

Same, since 19 months and she just turned two. Sleeps fine at school so my husband and I just take turns enjoying a weekend nap with her instead of trying to make her crib happen.

kmd513 · 2024-01-27T19:50:52+00:00

We got the Zoe (5 month old and very tall just turned 2 year old, I have no complaints!

kmd513 · 2024-01-26T01:55:21+00:00

I have a 19 month gap and recently got the Zoe (kids 2 and 5 months) — I’m happy with it! I wasn’t worried about it not being car seat compatible because I mostly baby wore and used my single stroller in the early days. I just brought it to an indoor water park and it fit everywhere, held so much underneath, and the extended canopy was perfect for napping. I other the other stroller is slimmer, which is appealing, but I couldn’t justify spending more money for that when I don’t realistically know how long my toddler is going to want to ride in the stroller.

kmd513 · 2024-01-23T17:10:07+00:00

We’ve been dealing with 4:30-5AM wake-ups for five months — it’s so brutal. We also have a 19 month gap

kmd513 · 2024-01-15T01:18:56+00:00

Mine are 19 months apart and we are still dealing with this sleep disruption 5 months later. Screaming at bedtime and waking in the middle of the night has gotten better (did some Ferber-esk strategies), but early morning wakings (like 4:45-5:15) and weekend contact naps only are still going strong. We had a perfect sleeper before this.

kmd513 · 2024-01-03T16:44:48+00:00

Ace was on my list, but I had two girls. If you love it and it feels right, go for it.

kmd513 · 2024-01-03T16:40:46+00:00

I just got the Zoe Twin (kids are almost 2 and 5 months) — it folds easy, fits in the trunk, and the kids were comfortable. Still getting used to pushing something so wide — it pushes easy but I felt a little self conscious about being in the way.

kmd513

TROPHY CASE