Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

I have 25 month old twins and a 5 month old . There has been NO SIGNS of jealousy with the twins until now. we were all home all of christmas week returning back to school/work on 1/2. Then, everyone (and i mean everyone) in their daycare got this horrible stomach virus. Kids, teachers, parents. We all had it. So, for about another week, we were all home. Now, all of a sudden, i put the kids in the car, and DD is SCREAMING bloody murder that she wants me. She screams the entire car ride. No matter where we are going. We get to where we are going, and if i am not holding her, she is screaming the same thing. I put her in her highchair for dinner, same thing. The only time she is fine is when i am holding her, or when we drop them off at daycare. The car ride in and the car ride home is non stop screaming and crying. At night, the twins were the best sleepers. Not anymore. They will not sleep. I've done CIO with them before and it worked beautifully. Last night they went to bed at 7:30 EXHAUSTED. normall they would lay down. They screamed until 12:30. 5 hours. Of coursei went in there a few times, i sat outside their cribs and held their hands until i THOUGHT they were sleeping. The moment i step out then scream and cry for me. They jump in their cribs and scream and cry. DH finally had to go in there last night and lay on their floor until they fell asleep. Well, DD had fallen asleep like 20 minutes prior. DS was still going strong. Wheni stay in there, they want me to hold them both. Not sit with them, but physicall hold them. When i am holding the baby DD is worse. She hits, screams, crys, throws full blown tantrums. I include them in EVERYTHING. Diaper changes, feeding, playing with the baby. I have alone time with them. Read them books, play games with just them. I am very patient with them during this, but DH is not as patient as i am and doesn't yell at them, but you can just tell he gets frustrated. I feel like they can sense that. I don't know what else to do. Anyone have any experience with this? Please tell me it's a phase and they will get over this quickly???

Message edited 1/15/2013 1:57:07 PM.

Re: Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

I swear it does get better. My twins were a disaster at that age (and the baby was like 3mo then). I feel like the twins were caught between being babies still and trying to be independent.

Can u have your DH take the baby while you get the kids to bed? Maybe change up their bedtime routine somehow? Rearrange the room? Let them have a big kid pillow or some kind of "cool" blanket?

You will get through this!

Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

Thank you!!! My DH does take the baby every night while I do bed time with the twins. I can try rearranging the room a little. Right now DH is driving and thankfully everyone is soon good. First time in days. We've been signing, talking and they've been good. I told them when we get home, daddy was going to cool dinner while we had a dance party and played games in the living room. Switch it up a little bit. Hope this helps for a smoother night :).

Re: Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

Dd is 32 months and no nb at home yet but since Thanksgiving she has been exactly as you are describing your twins. Insane at night especially. I am sahm and she cries for me at night. She will scream for hours at times too. She doesn't cry when dh puts her to sleep. I was reading up on Seperation anxiety and it seems to peak around this time btw 2-3 yrs.

Re: Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

Oh geez you are scaring me!!! I see that my dd maybe headed down that path. She was been waking up an hour and half earlier than usual steaming bloody murder for me! I don't understand she used to be great in the am and would lay in her bed quietly until I got her in the am.

I don't have real advice since I am not there yet but I agree with skinny try to change things up a little. Is it possible they are getting their 2 year molars?

Hang in there! Hope tonight is a better night!!

Re: Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

My twins are going through this NOW at 17 months old and I am less than 3 months aways from giving birth. I am scared. very, very scared for us all. I have ZERO patience lately and it is CONSTANT, whining, crying, tantrums and wanting to be held 24/7. I have no real advice. But have you considered separating them for sleep time? That is my plan, once the baby gets here, all in their own rooms so they don't set each other off.

HUGS.

Re: Please tell me this is just a phase and it will get better soon!!

Thanks for all the responses ladies! Tonight went way better than i expected. I changed things up a bit. DD started her normal i want mommy cry as soon as I put her in the car after daycare. But i kept talking to her telling her i was here and immediately started singing Christmas songs. Yes, she is OBSESSED with christmas and santa still We got home, i took her out, DH got DS who was calm and as soon as we walked in, I kept the baby in the carseat for a few minutes ,changed my clothes and sat on the floor with the twins and put Elmos Christmas show on. That's what they wanted. I got their morning chairs, DS sat in his while DD sat on my lap. I asked her if the baby can sit in her chair and she agreed since she was with me. Dinner was peaceful we had baths, which was horrible the other night but i just let her scream it out tonight while i sat there telling her she was ok and finally her and DS started playing with their toys in the bath. We then read a bedtime story and off to bed they went. I was shocked. I can't separate them because they literally look for each other. If they are not together, they start to freak out screaming for each other Their 2 year molars started coming in a while ago and I think they are actually feeling better in that department. Their hands aren't in the back of their mouths like the were a month ago. Tonight went beautifully with only a few little melt downs from each. DS was was mostly ok, just 1 or 2 small melt downs. Looks like changing it up a bit worked. Let's hope tomorrow goes just as well

Message edited 1/15/2013 9:40:03 PM.