The Worst Trip Of Our Lives
We recently went to visit family for an early Christmas. The Grandparents had visions of a perfect Christmas with all their children and grandchildren at home at the same time – we attempted to make their Christmas wish come true. There were visions of toddlers playing nicely together, singing Christmas carols and opening gifts together. There were visions of a family Christmas dinner – turkey, wine and Christmas pudding. There were cute moments – making ice cream with their grandpa, playing outside, seeing Santa and taking a Christmas train ride.
But the reality of the trip was:
- 5 days of no sleep. As in Little MPB fought sleep with every ounce of his tiny little body. Mr. MPB and I took nightly shifts with a toddler screaming, crying and ultimately watching Paw Patrol until he fell asleep. He averaged 4 hours of sleep per night. Which meant, we averaged 4 hours of sleep per night. Through pure desperation naps were forced through car rides around town.
- Little MPB is cutting his first 2 year molar. We can only assume this contributed to the sleep problems.
- When I wasn’t with Little MPB at night, I slept on the floor. My whole body hurts.
- The toddlers fought with each other, more then they did anything else. One loves to give hugs, the other needs personal space. There was no explaining this to two children under 2. 91% of the time they did not coexist well.
- They opened Christmas presents at different times.
- They fought over toys.
- They played in separate rooms.
- One got upset a bit more frequently, the other learned to taunt and make it worse. (Little MPB was the taunter).
- One liked to hit, the other did not like being hit. (Little MPB was the hitter – a skill he’s been perfecting for a few weeks now regardless of all our attempts to redirect him).
- One liked to throw things, the other did not like random toys flying their way (Little MPB was the thrower – another skill he’s been perfecting for a few weeks now regardless of all our redirection attempts).
- There were no adult visits after the kids went to bed. Mr. MPB or I were always in our room trying to keep Little MPB calm because if he screamed, he woke up the other toddler and the baby too.
- Adults weren’t able to open gifts together.
- I missed family meals. Mr. MPB missed family meals.
- Mr. MPB and I argued, sleep deprived fuelled arguments. Heck, we even argued via text when it was the only possible way to have an argument. If we weren’t arguing we were bickering and just barely co-existing.
- I ate horribly unhealthy for the entire visit as my MIL refuses to accommodate my inability to eat MSG (I get severe migraines from it). I lived off bread and bananas as to avoid making myself sick.
Needless to say, as we flew home and I look out the window I was thrilled to see this ‘vacation’ come to an end. The misery was over, because no matter what, at least noe we will be attempting to sleep in our own home. I have never in my life been so excited to get home. The combination of an unbalanced diet, lack of sleep, sleeping on the floor and constant arguing has left me physically and emotionally drained.
We may never leave our house again over night. Except for next year, because there is already talk of making this early Christmas a family tradition because the few good moments were truly amazing.
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Ugh, it is such a bummer and so exhausting when toddlers don’t get along! (And so common, I’m guessing). I find it particularly awkward to navigate because I never want to offend the other parents. Sorry you had such a miserable trip, wishing all three of you some glorious sleep over the next few days.
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I think/hope it’s pretty common for toddlers not to get along – especially when they aren’t used to sharing their space, toys and parents for that long.
Here’s to hoping Little MPB returns to being a good sleeper immediately!
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Ugh, maybe it will get better? I feel like if I’ve learned anything from my mommy friends, it’s that whatever you had in mind isn’t going to be the reality. I blame TV commercials for perpetuating the lie. 🙂
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I figure at some point it has to get better! I just hope that point comes sooner rather then later!
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Oh my goodness well done for getting through that! It will get better, my husband’s neices and nephews used to fight so much and have tantrums all the time when they were small but now they are both 6 they get on so much better. Don’t get me wrong when we have the whole side of his family in the house at once, So 5 children between the ages of 3 and 7, it’s still incredibly loud chaos with inevitably some arguments, tears and tantrums at some point but it’s only for a short time at least 😊
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What age did they start getting along better?? Was it just this year, or did they start playing better together at 3 or 4?
I totally understand some arguments, tears and tantrums. But, it would be nice if they weren’t every 5 minutes. 🙂
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It was about 4 upwards I would say 🙈 they are both boys so still have their fights but now seem so much more pleased just to see each other and are happy to play. The girls always got along, we just get the odd grump from them 😊
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Oh. My. God. I hope you have the strength to say no next year!
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Honestly, I wouldn’t mind doing the trip again, if Little MPB would sleep! The cute moments were shockingly adorable, and almost made the weekend worth it.
But, we wont even have to think about this for another 9-10 months, so we’ll see where things are at then. 🙂
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I’m so sorry that it was such a crap time!! If you go next year, hopefully with the kids being a bit bigger, things will go a bit smoother. In the mean time, I hope you guys get some sleep now that you’re home!
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The trip would have been about 1000 times better if Little MPB would have just slept a bit! We can hope next year’s trip, if it happens, will include a bit more sleep!
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That is a bummer 😦 Christmas is rarely as you picture it. With each year, that type of Christmas is easier to achieve as the children will understand more and play together a little bit nicer.
Sleep deprivation is the worst. For all of you. Hope you have all been able to catch up on some sleep now you are home.
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You are so right when you say Christmas is rarely as you picture it – I actually made a point to say the “Grandparents had visions…” because I learned last year that it’s never going to be perfect. That said, I didn’t expect it to be that colossally bad either! Maybe next year we’ll get a Christmas somewhere in the middle? I can hope, right?
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As they get older the ability to sleep in New places gets better…. right?! We are having a loner Christmas, hubby has to work night shift and no family is travelling to see us, so very quiet here and I am a little sad about it as it is the first Christmas my son will be a bit more aware (he was only 3 weeks old last year).
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So sorry! I remember those days traveling with toddlers. No fun.
Here’s hoping that you can get some rest and enjoy the rest of the holiday season, now that that obligation is out of the way. 🙂
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I love your way of thinking! So long as we can get Little MPB back into his routine at home, and he actually sleeps here, then we should have a nice next few weeks. 🙂
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Perfect Christmas’ rarely happen, it’s better to keep your standards low when it comes to toddlers and babies- they have their own personalities and a will of steel. Hopefully the rest of the holidays will be good though your MIL sounds really unpleasant to serve you food that makes you sick- wtf?
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Oh my goodness I get this. I am getting ready to travel with my toddler and baby across the country and seriously dreading it every day. The lack of sleep makes everything so foggy. SO glad you are home and done with it. (Also a tad jealous 😬). Xo
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Omg that sounds like such an exhausting trip… I’d be so glad to get home, too! And I think I’d be feeling anxiety over next year’s trip already! However, next year the toddlers will be kids and it might be a totally different experience for them. I hope you get sleep soon!
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Oh my goodness this sounded like the trip from hell. Almost guaranteed the crappy sleep was because of his 2 year molar coming in. Those molars are game changers. It isn’t easy when sleep deprived, confined in a space that isn’t yours, nowhere to have a proper argument without other ears hearing it, and then having to pretend to be happy and stress-free in front of everyone. I’m amazed you didn’t pull the plug sooner on it. Next year will guaranteed be easier with Little MPB being older and listening to instructions better, as well as out of the hitting and throwing phase (we are in that one right now too…it sucks). and he will be at an age where playing with other kids makes sense to him. He’s at the age right now where he doesn’t quite comprehend that playing with kids is something he should do, so he is independent and sticks to his own things. It will get better! And in the meantime, I hope now that you’re home you guys are getting some more sleep!!
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Christmas always brings such high expectations of merriment! And I think most of the time reality kicks it in the butt 😒 I’m sorry poor little MPB is suffering from teething pains- have they broken through yet – is it over now??
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oh gosh. That sounded stressful! I’d say it will get easier once the kids are a little older.
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😂😂😂😂😂😂
I’m laughing because we’ve so been there, including fighting over text messages because we can’t talk because kids are asleep next to us.
It will get better.
I had the aggressive toddler too. It gets better
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I’m so late getting to this but OMG you poor things. Traveling with kids is so hit and miss. Sometimes it goes like a dream and other times it is the 7th circle of hell!! I hope good sleep returned not long after you arrived home as sleep deprivation is the worst. I think it’s even worse when they get older as you are so surprised by it. You just aren’t mentally prepared to deal with all that again and live a normal life!!
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Oh my goodness! We’re about to embark on a road trip to visit the family…hoping for a semi-successful trip but very worried about the sleep situation. Maybe next year (if you dare try again!) will be better?
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