E was only 21 months when S&R were born so he probably won’t remember life without them! It has definitely been a rollercoaster for him though and, with my time now being split three ways, he has come up with some inventive ways of attracting my attention. I know some of these will be standard toddler impulses but here are a couple of recent examples of things that he has been doing to make sure that I’m still noticing him…

He sooks ketchup out of the bottle while I’m not looking.

He enjoys taking S&R’s socks off as soon as I’ve struggled to get them on in the morning.

He dances around the room and denies needing the loo unless I’m going to take his hand and go with him.

He unravels all of the toilet roll so that I will sit on the edge of the bath and wind it back up while he’s doing the loo.

He wants to lie down like a baby and for me to dress him like I dress S&R.

He clambers into the other seat in the pram just in time for me bringing the second baby through to put in.

He takes the utensils back out of the drawer to play with as soon as I’ve put them in there from the dishwasher.

He puts his fingers or his spoon into his cup of milk/ water and inevitably ends up knocking it over and spilling it everywhere.

I sometimes find it really hard to divide myself three ways! I also find it difficult not to react when a few of these things really frustrate me.

I try to make time for one-to-one time with E every day but it sometimes isn’t as easy as it sounds. We often have a snuggle and some stories while the babies nap but it sometimes makes things worse as he resents S&R even more when they wake up. Can’t win sometimes!!