The One and Only Tea Room - Now Hanging in Babylon

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Well folks, here we are, transported through time and space to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Golden couches and the distressed chintz sofa are arranged on a terrace overlooking the Euphrates and, as we recline on the exquisitely-soft cushions eating peeled grapes, we can enjoy the warm fragrance of the gardens' many exotic blooms. The garden is tended by the indefatigable Mellors, with occasional help from the bishops, rabbis and any passing world leaders. Somewhere behind the terrace there is an aga and a priest's hole, with optional massage table.

Please come and join us for a celebratory drink and conversation ranging from the profound to the profoundly silly.

Aww, practically, it's okay. And honestly, I think all of us at various stages of acceptance/denial. I know I swing between "YES! One's for us!" and "I'd like another newborn/baby." We're here for support as we go through our acceptance journey.

Hello again, PracticallyImperfect. You're always welcome here. It seems to me that the regulars here are all at slightly different places as regards coming to terms with having one child. Some of us chose it, for others, it chose us. Some of us have had far longer to come to terms (where coming to terms was needed) than others.

Please feel free to sound off about anything that's bothering you. And would you like some ?

. If you'd like to.

::polite::

Not sure why he's so wound up/whingey. Have sent MrScout up with water and teething gel.

Incoming Maud.

::sends Scout sleeping dust:: LCT had some issues tonight as well Scout. Mostly because he had the hiccups! He's down now though.

Oh, MrScout's just gone up to start counting -- counting used to work when TS was small(er).

Just had a thought -- wonder if he has a tummy ache. He had a new food today, one that he's previously always rejected....

YAY for sleeping LCT!

anyone?

Hope everyone is ok? Amber - are you feeling better despite the heavy gardening?

Scout - fingers crossed the teething gel does the trick. Whingey toddlers are not fun (we had one from about 6:00pm tonight - mainly due to him being so tired)

Actually today has been one of those days where we had nothing planned but it turned out to be really nice. Went out for lunch with Small Bean, did lots of gardening jobs, barbecue for tea when SB tucked into sirloin steak with chilli noodles and brown sauce

Hello Practically - if it is any consolation I also wonder whether I have completely come to terms with having an only. I only found the Tearoom fairly recently and find it very reassuring to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Mmmm, . Cheers, bean! (This is turning into one of those evenings where I wish I could have a RL glass.)

Scout - is all quiet in the Scout House yet?

I'm not sure -- I don't dare peak!

YAY -- Sleeping!

Whoot Scout! Have some more . Even if it's virtual.

Practically always glad to lend an ear. Although I was happy with only 1 from the beginning, that's me. Everyone is different. Have some pick a seat and talk away, if you need to!!

Sounds like a lovely day bean.

I really should get to bed. LCT is still waking up at OMG IS THAT THE TIME o'clock. All the way to 520 yesterday!!!

Hurray Scout! More virtual from me.

Tee - I feel for you. We were 6:30 this morning which felt like the middle of the night. 5:20 is really just not morning.

I've come to realize that TS gets up when MrScout starts his car in the morning. There have been times it's 4:30/4:45. This morning, MrScout still in bed, he slept until 7-ish (BLISS!) except I was up and wide awake at 5:45. Blurgh. Bedtime has no effect on wake-up time .

I have a theory that if DH thumps loudly goes to the bathroom at any time after 6:00am Small Bean wakes shortly afterwards. And yes, late bedtime has absolutely no effect on waking time.

Lately once he's down he's down as proven tonight by my stepping on my his talking Yoda doll next to his bed when checking how wet he was before I came to bed. Yoda said 'make fun of my size, will you?' and LCT didn't even stir.

(@Tee) WHEW!

I think, Ladies, I'm going to go to bed. Good night, all, and thank you for the fine tunes and even finer wine.

Practically, you are definitely not alone there. I struggle with it almost constantly. And yet a lot of the time I really enjoy RBoy being an only. I love the quality of the attention I can give him, for example, and also because MrR and I fall into the "just so grateful to have a child at all" category, I am always aware of how wonderful it is to have him in the first place. Also I know I would struggle in certain ways with more than one. And in some ways I think I would miss the intimacy of just one if the miracle of another ever did happen. (Really would be a miracle by now.)

And yet - despite all that - it still hurts and throws me off balance every single time there's another pregnancy announcement; I still fantasise about the miracle happening; I still don't feel convinced that this is what I would have chosen if things had been different - obviously, because we didn't have that choice. It's all very messy and jumbled. I'm just trying to be kind to myself and accept all the different feelings I've got and not force myself to rush to some kind of conclusion that I'm not yet really ready for.

I remembered something nice recently, something I read a good while back in an interview with the novelist Frederick Forsyth. He was an only and talking about his relationship with his parents he said something like: "it was just the three of us so we were very close: I adored them and I think they adored me," and I thought that was really lovely. And I do think that's how it is with our little family, there is a three-way mutual appreciation society going on, and that I love.

Practically - you HAVE to stay because you have my FAVOURITE name on the WHOLE of MN.

I LOVE having one child but who knows what life has in store for me... maybe I will have 120 babies by the time I am an old, old, old, old, ooooold womaaaaan....