[MomToNick]

My DS is 20 months, 17 adjusted. He was the most easygoing baby ever, never cried, slept great, ate great, etc. He entered toddlerhood well too-- happy, laughing, playing--until a week ago. He is now a screaming mess half the time, EVERYTHING makes him mad, he is obessed with the refrigerator, throws a huge fit when he can't play in it, (obsessed with everything he can't have for that matter) sleeping habits are now erratic which I suppose doesn't help his now perpetual bad mood. He now throws official throwing himself backwards tantrums, I can't believe I haven't dropped him yet. He is also not wanting to eat much--a few bites and he wants down. I don't like the eat on the go method, I am so paranoid about choking. The eating thing really sucks as he has a metabolic condition where he HAS to eat throughout the day. This is truly the only area I get upset with, since his life literally depends on his meals and snacks. Ug.
I do think he is cutting his upper molars, but I don't recall his bottom ones being this bad. He has also been away from daycare for 10 days where he just loves it, so maybe he's sick of mommy?
He and I do co-sleep on a queen size mattress on the floor, and I can tell he's not sleeping the best, I've been kicked numerous times the last few nights. One night last week he was up 4 HOURS in the middle of the night, and he has NEVER done that. Not fussy at all, just AWAKE.

Tell me this is normal and I'll get my sweet boy back. I now look forward to nap and bedtime, I never did before!!

 

[Redheaded_Momma]

MomtoNick!

I don't have much advice but I, too, have felt this way at this stage. Does he have a way to communicate with you? It seems like he has had a lot of change in a short period of time. Maybe get back to his "normal" routine and things will ease up for you.

:

 

[sept2008twingirls]

My DS also used to wake up in the middle of the night for hours. I think he was possibly teething at the time. He's over it now and only occasionally wakes up in the middle of the night and then goes back to sleep. My DS is 2 years now and is just starting to throw more fits, but mainly it's when he's not sleeping enough. Maybe the tantrums have to do with less sleep. My DS certainly throws more tantrums when he's tired. It will get better and go away eventually. I keep telling myself...they won't be staying up all night when they're 18 years old! (I have 2 month old twins and one of them literally stays up ALL night!)

 

[abomgardner417]

My twins changed a lot around 20 mo too and I would tell people that they entered the terrible two's too early. Although, bells went off for me as soon as you said he had been away from daycare. It may seem like a small change to us as adults but that's a pretty large part of a toddler's world changing so I'd bet that's it. If daycare was part of his daily routine, all he knows is that for some reason, mommy's not taking him there anymore. Will he go back? Will he see his friends and teachers again? He doesn't know and probably doesn't know what to feel except maybe feeling out of control...which is probably pretty normal terrible two behavior come to think of it.
One of my twins has a very very hard time adjusting to change and if I don't warn him what's coming up or if, say, daddy is home from work sooner than normal or is off an extra day, it just throws him off for a day or more...but he's highly sensitive. I literally sometimes have to say "Daddy's just here for a little bit more, then he's leaving for work, then it will just be you and mommy and brother. We'll go to the store, the library, come home and read, etc." Once I explain what's going on he calms down immediately.

Sounds like your sweet baby is in there somewhere, he's just having a tough time right now!

 

[wetcement101]

I have a friend who lost her "angel baby boy" for a few months around that time. Don't know why, assumed it was the terrible twos kicking in.
My DD is only 11 months, but you just described her teething behavior. Only when she was at home with me. When she was at daycare she was fine.

: I hated to do it, but she was so uncomfortable I gave her some ibuprofen in the evenings. After a two month teething siege, we are back to normal. Can't wait for molars...