The moving castle tea room touches down for the 29th time

[UniS]

Welcome to the tea room. Open to those with one child and those with more and maybe some with none ( hi dave the trucker).

This time we are heading to the mists and mellow fruitfulness of Autumn in a moving castle with a mind of its own. The roaring fire is maintained by magic and Mellors the gardener handles wine and spirits along with massage duties.

The first rule of the tea room is this
No fisticuffs.
The second is this
Put the kettle on for and help yourself to a

The morning has been horrible .

Maud - Unfortunately I can't physically put him into the car seat once he gets into kicking hitting screaming mode. I tried before and felt so guilty afterwards as I could have seriously hurt his hips trying to push them down into the seat. Besides even if I managed to get him in he can now get out of the car seat on his own. I was told once before that you should bring them to school kicking and screaming, and if this is not possible you should make the day as boring as possible. I am worried though. And still hours later very angry at LittleDeer.

Oooohhhh. Another RESULT. MrScout and I had already discussed that Toddler was going to get a Brio Train Set as his main (Christmas) present from us. That way family/friends on both side of the Atlantic can get bits and pieces for it (Brio or compatible, we don't care, but MrScout is determined that his son is going to have a Brio set from us because he always wanted one but never got one). We haven't ordered it yet but I'm always looking for deals, etc. I have found (and just ordered) a Brio powered train, normally £16 or more, for less than £5 with free shipping. RESULT! Obviously I couldn't pass that up. So now Toddler has a powered train to go on the set as well.

I do love a good bargin AND getting sorted for anniversaries/birthdays/Christmas.

hmmm, I feel awful. LittleDeer is always trying to control everything. He keeps on saying 'do what I tell you to do always', and 'I'll do whatever I want to do, not what you say'. So I guess I should have made him go. I just don't know how to physically get him into the car seat against his will (he sadly tends towards being very aggressive, which I find very difficult) and get him to sit in it without getting out for the 15 min drive. Maybe this was just another example of him trying to control things. Oh but then that is also why I didn't take him when decided he wanted to go once 9am had passed. Oh I'm so confused and sick of him yelling at me all the time!

Poor LittleDeer. I have no advice but can offer a . Or would be better?

Hi all! I love the new tea room, the roaring fire is perfect for this chilly September day.

Apologies for my absence, I have had a really hectic week and a very dodgy internet connection.

Positive vibes for Amber today.

LittleDeer- Sorry to hear that you had a tough time with LittleDeer today. I think your approach was very sensible, given that you cannot force him into his car seat. I hope that things are less stressful tomorrow. Any idea what made him not want to go to school today?

Littlestick seems to have settled into school fairly well (am fully expecting a LittleDeer moment soon though). He is a fully paid member of the 'Don't tell anyone a single thing about what I did at school' Club, which I am finding hard to adjust to. I have always enjoyed hearing him chatter about his day but now I have no idea what he has been up to .

Great shopping Scout!!

Sorry, I should have proof-read my post. I meant to say that (in similar circumstances) I would have bundled The Girl into the car - what works for my child doesn't necessarily work for anyone else's and I wasn't trying to suggest that it would. As I said, I am a tyrant about some things (going to school is one of them) even though I am laissez-faire about others. The Girl went through a horrendous stage of wriggling free of the buggy straps and legging it down the road but I can't now remember what worked in getting her to stop.

Sorry Maud, I'm just being sensitive and upset today. I wish I was one of those people who could get over things quickly. If LittleDeer upsets me I tend to be out of sorts with him all day.

Thanks for the tea Scout. I'm just being silly, Amber has serious things to worry about and here I am getting all upset over a missed day at school.

Hi Stick - welcome back! Glad to hear LittleStick is enjoying school. LittleDeer is too, honestly . He just woke up foul this morning pretty much.

I understand and I'm sorry if I added to that. Because I was thinking about LittleDear at the same time as thinking about The Girl I got my names muddled.

Hope things improve soon.

Right, time to pull myself together. School is over now, I have told LittleDeer. Do you guys now think it would be ok for us to go out to the shops/cafe etc? I have purposely not engaged with him all morning to bore him if possible and have found it emotionally exhausting. Of course, my not engaging with him angered him for about 15 mins then he just got on with it and played happily by himself all morning, so much for it being boring

Amber- I would do whatever you need to to give yourself a lift. You are not at all silly in having felt down today. It would have upset me too and I know the feeling when you can't shake something off. I usually feel better by the following morning too, hope you do too.

Maybe now you can draw a line under it by doing something nice, especially if you think LittleDeer has got the message. If it happens again then maybe you could consider extending the dull day into the afternoon but he is so little and it is most probably a one-off.

Sorry typo- morning though, not morning too.

LittleDeer is pushing his boundaries hard, isn't he? I think under the circs you did the right thing though - it would have been too dangerous to drive him if you now he can escape his restraints. Hope he was bored enough and fed up enough today that he doesn't go for a repeat performance though! And I don't think I would be taking him to the shops/café, tbh - he shouldn't have any sort of treat today as he effectively wagged school.

Amber - hope all goes well today and you have drawn a nice big arrow pointing to the correct side/area.

Hello stick - nice to see you again.

Scout - good scouting for bargains there !

MT - :( re MC and that girl - are the teachers not awake upon this suit to this situation? (very pleased to see Miss Anna of the Penguin has returned, btw)

I wish to have a gloaty moment - it won't take long and then you can all beat me with sticks. DH and I have been invited to go out for a big posh dinner in Sydney, where the after-dinner speaker will be one Sir Chris Bonington!! (or, as DH referred to him, "some bloke who knew Edmund Hillary" ) Am quite excited - it's with DH's company and they may have paid the top whack for dinner tickets ($$$ per head) which will allow us to have drinks in the near vicinity of Sir CB and possibly even meet him!

Very exciting. :)

More anyone?

Playdate today was fab. Two and a half hours of park/playground/duckpond fun. Two happy and tired toddlers at the end of it. Hopes of doing it again next week. I got to have a cuddle with a 16 week old baby. He was so cuddly and squishy and I didn't feel broodiness what-so-ever. I loved having a cuddle but was just as happy to hand him back. Realized he (baby brother of Toddler's "friend") was the first baby I've held since Toddler was born.

OMG I totally lost you guys! I've been very busy the last few days with work and with finding us a house to rent! We've been looking for ages and this one is perfect!

I'll try to catch up now...

YAY for Tee!

Thanks Scout! Sounds like quite a playdate. This neighbourhood we're moving to is full of kids so I imagine I'll have some around at some point. Oh the horror...

I'm trying to read back but you've all been busy!

Amber, did you have surgery? Did I see that? Are you okay?

LittleDeer sounds to be having a phase, I see. This too shall pass. I hope!

I promise to try and be a better Tea Room Citizen!

Now..Torchwood...

Hi all. Yup, had wire-guided WLE surgery, 4 hrs of furtling about in grand total. No more detail in a tea room but the Tamoxifen thread always contains more for those that can stand it (general health). I feel fine. I bounce back v fast from anaesthetics if I get a good anaesthetist who can risk the types with my weird bp. Bit shellshocked at today's revelation of why they were so glum at the start, though.

Can't have but can proffer it for others?

Hello! ?

Just checked my email and my Brio train and train track piece have already been shipped. WAHOO!

ooo I love Brio!!! Think we've still got a big box of it somewhere.

I was thinking about Brio for LCT for Christmas. His 'big' gift is Bob the Builder Live in January. Did you find a good deal, Scout? Did I miss that?

Tee, not on the set yet, no. We know which one we're getting and so I keep surfing around for it. But in my travels today I found a battery-operated engine which is normally £16-£18 for just under £5 with free shipping. Snatched that up. Also found a stop-n-start track (to use the engine with) for stupidly cheap compared to most other places. So yup, snatched that, too. In preparation for the set, you see.

amber, we'll be in your area for Christmas so if you fancy a play pop over. Toddler is, so far (fingers crossed it remains this way!), good at sharing.

Scout - could I recommend the Brio collapsing bridge? Small Bean loves it - we have regular train pile-ups requiring every emergency vehicle in the house.

Amber - glad you are home and being looked after.

Tee - congratulations on finally finding a house. When do you move?

Little deer - no good advice I'm afraid. Just keep reminding yourself that you made the right decision for the circumstances at the time. Hopefully there isn't a next time but the only other thing I have done if Small Bean doesn't want to get in his car seat is lock the doors and calmly sit in the driver's seat with a book (the car manual if that's all there is!) and completely ignore him apart from repeating that 'when he is ready we will go'.

DH has gone to bed early with his book so I am mnetting from the balcony of our appartment. It has all been rather nice so far, Small Bean is thoroughly enjoying himself. I laughed today as the boys took themselves off to play mini golf - Bean's efforts looked a bit more like hockey than golf but he announced to everyone that 'his round of golf went very well!!!'

Thanks Bean, I'll keep that in mind and mention it to MrScout/family. I also have my eye on the magnetic bell -- think TS would enjoy it.

Good morning, all. ?

How are you feeling today amber?