long story short... my mum and dad (mainly my mum, but dad pays for it all) spend a fair amount on my 2 Dc's for xmas each year... First xmas with DS (he was 4 days old) we had a full boot of things she'd got him for xmas... and lots of it was never used as there was so much.
2nd xmas with DS, just turned 1, we had the same, toys for ages 4+ etc that again got put away and because we barely have any storage in our home we ended up having to give lots of it to charity (still haven't told my mum as she'd be offended)...
The next xmas we had DD too, who was about 8mths, it took more than the car trip home on xmas day to bring all the presents home (and that was leaving some things at their's for them to play with there)
Last xmas i'd asked (around mid-summer as my mum always starts early) for her to put half the money she'd spend into their trust funds for them, and maybe just get them one or 2 larger, better presents and the rest clothes... it went out of the window!!
Up until a week before xmas that was the plan, then on xmas eve she phoned and said they'd worked out how much they'd spent and they'd spent more than she thought so wasn't going to be putting money into their accounts... fair enough, but she'd ignored my nice polite request of a couple of bigger toys, and when they came on xmas day our living room was litterally full!!!! I mean we had things on our knee's and a tiny patch of carpet near the door could be seen, and it took 2 car's to bring it all here!!
Again this year i said i dont want many toys, and politley asked for money in their trust funds. I said we were only buying a couple of toys for inside- my living room is full, the bedroom is full, under the stairs is full of still new toys from last xmas, and the dining room is getting there too with toys... we've bought bigger outdoor toys now they are getting too big for the toddler swing & slide.
I've been clearing out a bin-bag full of toys a month since late summer and my house is still over-flowing. I'm going to have another massive clear-out before xmas too...
I had also asked if she'd spend more on clothes (something they need all the time) than toys so then at least the clothing would be away in their wardrobes, but at the weekend she was saying she's got bin=bags full of toys up in the attic ready to be wrapped for the kids for xmas!!!!
AIBU to be a little Pee'd off that she's again not listened to me at all??
When she comes to my house she's complained the kids ahve too many toys and thats why i cant' keep the living room tidy for 5mins.... but yet she buys shed loads!!!!!!!! argh!! I know i should be happy she gets them something... but its driving me and DH mad... we get so stressed out before xmas wondering what we're going to do with such little space left and the amoutn they'll buy!!!
someone please just agree i'm ok for feeling this way!!!!