For those of you with multiple kids, how are/were you able to get some time alone with one child to play or read when the other one won't let you out of their sight?

Ebay's gotten better, she'll play by herself on the floor for 10-15 minutes at a time, but only if I'm sitting next to her. I want to play with Big O, but Ebay screams if I'm out of sight. I can't play with O like she needs with the baby on the floor. Gerber Puffs will distract Ebay for a few minutes, until she's shovelled them all into her mouth or onto the floor.

(Hubby normally can help, being on summer break, but the computer ate his music and he's got a Fri deadline to re-write it. He's pissed.)

Any suggestions on how I can give O the attention she needs while not having to endure the screaming little hellion?

I thought about letting O stay up later than Ebay to be together at night, but they're sharing a room and O needs to read herself to sleep. Can't work if Ebay's in bed already.

What about a "date" during naptime? When you feed and change Ebay, have O pick out drinks and a game.

Can you put ebay in a backpack carrier and do stuff that doesn't require sitting on the floor? Wait, is she big enough for a backpack carrier yet? I can't remember how big she is.

If she is, though, that might be a way to keep her in the action without having to focus too much on her.

It is hard! Miles's favorite suggestion at our house is "let's split up into teams!" and then he likes to decide which kid gets which parent depending on what he wants to do and who it's more fun to do it with.

Good luck!

Excellent suggestions!

Ebay still will not sleep on her own. We're trying, but it's only worked once in 2 weeks' time.

I do have a wrap, however my father may have thrown it away. I have one last-ditch effort to go find it in storage tomorrow (crossing fingers) but I may have to replace it with something appropriate for a 15 pounder. I know she likes being held, but on the back might be a new and exciting position for her.

It's hard, especially when they're tiny like that.

A was pretty much the same way. Still is, really. And it was hard for N, who is also a bit clingy and very sensitive, that I didn't have the time or opportunity to play with him one on one most days. But I would sometimes have an "N and Mommy day" if I had a day off during the week while they were both at daycare which was generally every couple of months. I'd pick N up at lunchtime and we'd do whatever he wanted for the afternoon. Usually it was lunch at McDonalds (I hate that place and will only take him for very special occasions) and then a movie or the park, depending on the weather. It was nice for both of us and helped to make up for all the other times when I'd have to take care of A instead of or while playing with N.

Of course, now that he's in school, I can't really do that as often. But since I also work for the district, I get the same days off that he does, so we try to do something then.