Overly generous presents

[Liz23]

Am I being unresonable? I am just wondering if I have done the right thing...I have a close friend who buys my 5 month old son presents and also occasionally looks after him for the afternoon. We are very grateful to her as we have no family nearby to help with childcare. The other day she texted to say she had bought him a big Christmas present of a 4 in 1 trike thingy. We think it's too big and I have tried to tell her we appreciate her generosity but we can't accept it. He's far too little for it anyway and we live in a tiny flat, so have nowhere to store it at the moment. She has not replied to my texts and I thing she's offended...did we do the wrong thing or was it right to go with our gut feelings and graciously decline?

Oh dear, I'm so uncouth, i do apologise for my terrible language, I shall rephrase..

I don't have a big house, I have four children. For my twins first birthday my mum bought them TWO fisher price bouncy zebras, my sister bought them TWO massive push along walking things, my MIL bought them a ride on trike each. Did I refuse them saying I didn't have enough room? No of course not, that would have being extremely rude and ungracious.

These people love my children and want to spoil them. I do not see that as a bad thing. Yes it pisses me off annoys me that I have to move a mountain of plastic to hoover but I would never, ever refuse a gift however impractical I think it is.

Glad all's well OP

And I think you have reacted gracefully under fire.

Well that's great, I'm really happy for you.

This was a particular situation with a particular friend, not a general rule I have. And the friend has just texted back and is fine with it. So nothing left to discuss really.

Bye.

PS JLC: cheers

PPS I changed my name but I'll be back. Looking forward to talking to all my lovely new friends. Particularly the angry ones - what fun! Tally ho!

So, what´s happening with the present?

Just having a laugh really. Although the original post was true

It's being returned and she is choosing something smaller. We had a quiet weep and toasted our friendship. She's having my boy Sunday afternoon. Ain't life great?

Selfish bitch!

Now, now, dear girl. There's no need for that. Five minutes on the naughty step for you!

How is life so good if you live in a tiny flat?

you should have phoned her - a text was rude

I probably should have phoned - you're right. Or spoken face to face. But it's all over now.

Ha ha ha ha ha aha I love it. Did you graciously decline(please say you did I'll feel so much better!)

Unlike yourself you mean, who spurned 'gracious declining' in favour of a text!

Sorry - we kept it (although we now have a balcony to put it on

It did come in very handy for putting things on, eg piles of washing, although I made the mistake of trying to use it as a coffee table, only for my hot cup of tea to go "whhheeeeeee" down it!

Well, I tried to be gracious and I did use proper words not txtspk, but you're probably right. It was the wrong way to do it. See above for humble pie eating.

I like your style SalFresco. Alas no balcony here.

Salfresco

Are balconies a normal thing to have in a house then?