My son wants to be carried everywhere all of a sudden

Has he got younger siblings?

nope!

Ok my daughter does this, but I think it's a bit of jealousy from her younger sister, and trying to get attention too. Not sure on your son then!
Could there be any other reason he wants the attention?!

Are you anxious about school etc? Could he be picking up on that? Maxi wants loads of cuddles and love at the moment and I’m sure it’s cos he’s picking up on me feeling anxious about certain things

Elliot is wanting up all the time just now too, sometimes saying upupupupupupupupupupupupup for ages!! 😳🤯 he's been throwing MAJOR tantrums too & generally very emotional, so I'm wondering if it's a developmental thing & he's not understanding all the big emotions, so wants held because it's comforting & familiar to him. He wants me to hold him standing up too, like when he was a baby/little toddler, instead of just being up on my knee on the couch etc. As you say, it's so difficult when he's so heavy now! Sometimes I just can't pick him up cos I'm making dinner or something, or he's thrown another tantrum & I'm not 'rewarding' it by lifting him up, but if he's upset or just a bit emotional I'll lift him cos it seems to comfort him & settle him, but my back is really starting to protest!! 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

This is my daughter refuses to walk, always wants to be carried and I just can't do it, has a massive tantrum if I don't carry her. I'm hoping it's just a stage, but I have found if I make a game out of walking or running she will do it

My son was the same I started taking his buggy everywhere and when he he asked me to pick him up I would explain how he getting to big and if he doesn’t want to walk he can sit in his pram he wasn’t happy at first but got used to the idea and it’s not very often I have to take his pram anywhere now xx

omg never even thought of this as a thing. Mine has wanted to go on dads shoulders everywhere, he’s got a 8 month old brother

it could be because we’ve been talking about school a lot recently since he’s been offered his place. He has also been sick not long ago and was really cuddly then so could be anything I guess.

my daughter is exactly the same, or she wants to go in the buggy, when her sister is using it, which obviously doesn't work. We've had several tantrums over this (normally when dad isn't there too, so she can't be carried either).
I'm interested that others are seeing this phase without siblings, so maybe it's just coincidence!