30 up The tea room afloat

[UniS]

Welcome aboard.

The first rule of the tea room is - No fisticuffs.
The second rule is - Put the kettle on and lets have a or open a bottle of if its that time of day. Pull a sofa and relax. Parents of one, more (or less) children are welcome to hop on board and chat about anything and nothing. Introduce yourself if new and if you name change give us clue please.

Sainsburys had cute pumpkin outfits Scout.

Our Sainsbury's had cute pumpkins, ghosts, etc., for babies and anything in the 2-3 year old clothes were all "scary" things. Times like this I wish I was at home -- Mom would make him fabulous Halloween costumes, he'd go trick-or-treating, etc.

I wish I could have gone home....

MT, sorry, I don't have any of those voucher things.

Scout

She's much better today thank you only woke up once in the night too which is a record!

Marks and spencer have some nice outfits for girls, I didn't look at boys though but might be worth a look online!

Glad she's better, laurenamium. Nothing worse than a poorly baby! TS isn't 100% today but not sure what's wrong. Oh well. I've cancelled our afternoon get-together with "big kids" to let him sleep. I have Seniors tonight and can't cancel/miss it so I'd rather let Toddler sleep now so he's rested/happy to go and play with his girlies.

Took TS to the toddler group in the Guiding Village this morning. They had a guest in who played a guitar and led the singing (instead of just singing). TS really wasn't sure about the guitar and a couple of other mums thought it was "weird" that he was so unsure about it. Weird? Really? He had never seen one in person, let alone heard one in person, and after two hours of running around like a nut he was wary of the new noisy thing. It's not like he ran away from it screaming/crying, he just didn't want to be close to it.

Is there some 24-month sleep issue I should be aware of? Probably four of the last five nights TS has woken up in the middle of the night, chattering away. Happily enough and he goes back to sleep without me having to go in, but it wakes me up (usually scaring the life out of me) and then I can't get back to sleep. I've wondered if he's on the cusp of some new development given that TS loves his sleep and waking is unusual for him.

Not sure about the waking thing but I hope TS gets well soon!

Good morning all.
Ok, I'm extremely puzzled. We sent my half-sister (Her Highness who announced she wants to honour us with a visit between x and y dates next spring) a birthday parcel. Her birthday was the end of September. As I said, she tends to only email DH, rather than me. So he told me shed emailed him to say that the parcel had arrived, a couple of weeks ago. And a few days later he said she'd announced the dates for the visitation.
DH and I actually had a good talk about it - I still feel the same as I did, which is utterly depressed at the thought of having to put up with her, he still says we should let her come, but at least he doesn't think I'm a cow, he acknowledges that she is much nicer to him than to me and that he thinks it's not on that she emails him only. He said he was going to email her back and tell her that she needs to talk to/email both of us about things like visiting. So that's at least something.

So today she posted on my FB wall that "the parcel finally arrived today". Erm, what?? The parcel that DH told me she'demailed him a thank-you for two weeks ago?? I'm really confused. I don't think DH lied to me about her emailing to say the parcel arrived , why on earth would he? So, what? Does she think she can excuse her failure to say thank you to me by pretending the thing finally arrived today? If yes, is she completely stupid? Does she not think we actually talk to each other and that I would know she's lying?

I haven't said anything back to her yet. DH is at work, have texted him to say please loom at my FB wall, what could this be all about???

I need . Anyone else?

"look" at my FB wall. Not loom over it, obviously.

Seeing as you have members parked in Canada, Australia, and Central America (I don't know if this means exotic sub-Mexico America or Midwest-ness) I'd like to introduce myself to the tea room if I could as a member of the slightly-Midwest-slightly-South area of the US.

This room looks fun and while I haven't read all 30 threads, I did spend the better part of an hour catching up on this one. I found you all since I am planning on just the 1 so was browsing this topic...

I am American, but I lived in London from 2005 until this June, and have just moved back. I was on Mumsnet forever and an age ago as a nanny and have just joined up a few days ago now that I'm on this roller coaster of trying to become a parent. I'm single and plan to be that way for a very long time, and am TTC number 1.

Experiencing a tiny bit of reverse culture shock but mostly it's been fine - I will LEAST miss the dreaded things you call washing machines but which are really horizontal buckets with a tiny hose attached that take over 3 hours to wash and "dry" your clothes.

My NN comes from my 3-year-old nephew who calls himself Fishpants McGee - because he's awesome.

Um...can I have some now please? [hgrin]

::UniS passes Fishpants some ::

Hi, welcome aboard.

Welcome Fishpants, have some .

Hellooo! I've had a busy (good) week so haven't had a chance to pop into the tea room at all! Hope everyone is well x

Welcome Fishpants - I think you'll fit RIGHT in! Scout is a resident American who lives over here, and yes, we have proper Mexican South America tea room residents too!

I am mother of 1 son of 5 who is very lovely. I need

Hello Fishpants! I had a boss who was resolutely single, but wanted to be a parent - which she sucessfully arranged - then when her ds was 5 she decided she wanted another - and got twins!!! Not everyone here has just one, and some of them are now almost ready to fly the nest.

I did what you did - ie read back on the thread and see what the general tone etc was - and I fitted right in very happily. That was 30 threads ago - I can't believe it!

Crumpets and frothy chocolate / coffee/ jasmine tea (not frothy) anyone?

Hello Fishpants! Love the name. I have a guess as to which state you might be in I wonder if I'm right. I moved here in 2005, too, but don't see us moving home (home for me, not for British MrScout) any time soon. ToddlerScout is a dual citizen (as am I) makes it very easy going backwards and forwards.

TS has a cold. I'm not surprised given how whiney he was yesterday. At least it's this week and not next when it's his birthday. Even though it's half term week we have lots of plans with friends throughout the week to "celebrate" his day. Today he has been quiet and slow (as not, not running around like a toddler) and has just wanted to sit and cuddle and read books and play hairdresser. Now he's having a lovely (hopefully long) nap.

Welcome Fishpants! dive right in with the and cake, and .

Scout - boo to TS's cold but might explain the night-waking? The noise of the guitar probably is a bit "Wtf?" for him at the moment, nothing to be worried about, dunno what's wrong with those other women [hhmm]! miniThumb is fine with the guitar because DH plays but he hates the noise of hand-driers in public loos - sometimes it's the resonance, sometimes it's just the noise level, or the pitch of it that gets on their nerves. He'll be fine.

JM - your sister is weird, there is no doubt, and I'm quite sure she firmly believes that she's having some kind of "thing" with your DH without your knowledge. I am :( for you that your DH thinks she should be able to dictate when she comes to visit - and since she is your sister, I think you should have the final say in it, not him - and if you still don't want her to come, then she bloody well shouldn't! But that's just IMO of course. [hsmile].

Laurenamium - glad your DD is better.

Hallowe'en - it's a bit of a mixed thing here - the Aussies aren't really that into it, even less so than in the UK in recent years. But there is a build up of plastic tat that goes with TorT'ing every year - still can't find decent cookie cutters though!

Thumb, she is definitely weird, but if she thinks she's having a "thing" with DH (which I actually really doubt - she definitely likes him better than she does me, and I do believe she has/had a tiny crush on him, but that's as far as it goes) she's having it all by herself. DH does not think she should be able to dictate when she can come. He just thinks that we have nothing else on during that time and so if those are the only dates that work for her, why not let her come. I don't blame him for feeling that way, he doesn't have the history with her and my father that I do. Please don't be down on my DH. He loves me to bits and is generally pretty fantastic - we just have different points of view occasionally and I think that's completely fair.

evening all.
I havn;t forgotten teh request for cake recipe, just a a bit busy and I hate copying things out. Its in a real cook book not an online one.

Boy is reading "the Cat in The Hat" to DH. Not a school book, but DHs idea of a book for half term. Its brilliant, long enough that they are treating it as a chapter book , doing 4-6 pages a night.

I have been carving a pumpkin. boy has been making a garden on a plate- its village show time again. Our own village this time. And Carnival on Saturday as well, so another busy weekend at chez Uni.

DO you think Mellors could pop over on saturday and make some soup and bread for us.

Argh! Where did my post go?

JM - I was wondering whether your dh is like mine, who thinks (although he wouldn't put it in these words) that one has to put up with, ahem, stuff from one's family that one wouldn't put up with from anyone else, simply because they are family. If so, I agree with them both up to a point ::thinks of errant sibling:: but I also think that it is very hard to keep putting up with the same stuff from the same person year after year.

What kind of visitor is your sister? Is she the self-sufficient sort who will go out exploring on her own or will you be expected to spend days taking her around and showing her the sights? That can be wearing, even with visitors one is keen to see.

It sounds to me as if maybe your dh is hoping that your sister's visit could heal the rift but only you will know how likely that is. I hope you can find an answer that you're both comfortable with. Your dh sounds like a sweetie.

Thanks - my DH is the best there is and half the time I don't know how he puts up with me. And I think you're right in what you said, on both counts. Sadly, Her Highness is not the self-sufficient sort. She expects to be entertained.

Oh, but the mystery of the FB post was explained - she hadn't emailed to say thank you for the parcel, she'd emailed to say thank you for the birthday wishes. It got lost in translation (bad English on her part, no German on DH's).

Hello everyone, not been on much, I often feel I have nothing much to say!

Not read back, so hope all is OK with everyone and hugs that need them

Bit of an update on my daughter, she has been to the doctors last week and this week as she started pulling her hair out. First went to the docs in about May or June, was told to speak with the school nurse?! Anyway, saw another doctor that is lovely and has referred her to CAMHS. I have often wondered from when she was about 7 if she had some sort of 'issue' such as OCD, but if I had gone to the doctors with the incident that made me think it I would have been laughed out the surgery. In fact I more or less was anyway, being told I should be able to deal with a 7 year old!

She also gets bad PMT, but won't really admit it! Really hoping things start to improve for her now once she starts speaking to other people

Finish work early tomorrow then off all next week, and my OH and daughter are off to his parents tomorrow until Monday!

PKM, you sound like you could do with a glass of . I hope things start to improve for you and your daughter.

JM, I think you need a too. I fear I invite myself/the Scout family to my parents' but we entertain ourselves . And now TS entertains my parents . I guess it's probably a bit different.... MrJM sounds fab.

to Maud. We had a fab night of Cupcakes with the Big Girlies last night.

Thumb, TS also gets bugged by driers in public loos and sometimes hoovers. I'm not worried. I always remind myself and others that when you're a very small/new boy things we take for granted are new and very scary and not always understandable.

Tonight he threw a wobbly when I wouldn't give him a yogurt and he just didn't understand "there's no yogurt left" -- I think he thought I was telling him off for wanting a yogurt. So I took him out of his chair and we looked through the refrigerator together so he could see "there's no yogurt left" and he instantly stopped crying/shouting for it and happily sat to have a rich tea instead. MrScout, who came home early today, seemed amazed at the exchange but I'm not. TS is a small boy who knows his mind/what he wants and understands a lot more than grown-ups give him credit for.

Off to make some dinner now, I think.

YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! Flights for Thanksgiving booked! We're going in just over three weeks for 2.5 weeks.

Yes, I am homesick (rough year and just really want to be with my people) and am sooooo looking forward to having a Mom-cuddle.

Woot! I'll need your P's address again so I can send your necklace. My aim is to finish them by the time my mum goes home (Nov 1).
Scout, do you think you might be seeing Maud when you get back? If so could I mail you her necklace as well, to bring back with you?

Pkm - I hope that the Dr helps. If you haven't got anything to say, it doesn't mean you can't come in and ask for a cuppa or a

JM - I'd still say to her you can take (eg 2) days off and the rest of the time she's welcome to stay but you're going to have to do your normal work....

MC got 4 'praise points' for his writing yesterday - this is the thing that he was falling behind in last year. This year we're writing about pictures - and we know what sort of things we need to work in to get the points - and its SO much easier!!!