Tearoom 35: Sun, sea and sand...

[beanandspud]

This breathtakingly beautiful island has unspoilt powdery white sand beaches, crystalline turquoise waters that wash over pristine coral reefs, and verdant green rainforest.

Scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking and sailing trips are available and you can discover the island's charms on foot (with or without Mellors the guide) by mountain bike or private island buggy.

For those in need of pampering the spa offers a selection of luxurious treatments to soothe and heal both body and soul.

For dining, enjoy a freshly prepared meal at the tearoom, a picnic on the beach, or a delicious dinner in the oceanfront restaurant with its stunning sea views. There is , and good company, everybody is welcome.

Ooh, lemon sorbet. Nothing better on a hot day.

I could so go for a large lemon water ice from Rita's (Be cool eat a Rita's, Be cool eat a Rita's).

When will this three-year old hormone surge of terribleness end?! Or is it the heat? Or both? I think it the hormones mixed with heat (he's so like MrScout and just doesn't do well in it but he loves being outside). I love SmallBoy but I'm ready to ship him off or trade him for his old model.

Does an ice cream help bring back the old small boy?

He's gone off ice cream. Likes the idea of it but won't touch it. Same with ice lollies. Strange Small Boy. I went to Tesco tonight for about 1/2 hour, 45 minutes, and came home to find he had one had a couple of sips of his drink while MrScout had a whole bloody pint of squash. I immediately stripped SB down (queue struggle) and practically forced a drink down him. Once he got going he guzzled. But then later, when we went outside to watch the airplanes (nearby wartime base turned museum is having it's air show this weekend so we get a lot of planes overhead before and after as they arrive/return home) he became an absolute monster when it was time to go inside (after being outside for a very long time watching the plane/s, studying the grasshoppers, watering the plants, etc.) cue kicking, screaming and hitting. Teeth time, despite knowing that he gets to brush and then I get to help make sure he's done it properly-- cue more kicking and screaming (and I do mean SCREAM). This morning he LOVED the idea of going to town for a drink at the café and happily went to brush his teeth and go to the toilet but get dressed? You'd have thought I was killing him. "You can stay home with Daddy, I'll go to the café." "Nooooo! I want to go to the café with Mommy!!" "Come get dressed, then, and we can go to the café. Maybe they'll have the nice cake." "NO, I don't want to go to the café and have a drink and cake!!!" as he tries to escape. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I know it's the age. It's the weather he's so like MrScout who's been a major grump since the weather's hit 20 and stayed. It's the light at night and in the morning (despite consistent bedtime and routine SB hasn't been asleep before 9/9:30 and is still up 6:30/7:30 and that's just not enough for SB).

I just want to scream.

(Oh, and since he won't eat ice cream or ice lollies he's been having lots of grapes & strawberries cold and juicy and has the added bonus of being fruit--.)

boy rather likes ice cubes.

SB likes to play with ice cubes in glasses of water.

Oh, Scout, that sounds very trying. How long is this heatwave expected to last?

I've heard rumors it's meant to be hot all summer. I know at least this weekend into next week its going to be warm hot.

Eek. I am struggling a bit with the heat, so I can sympathise with those who are feeling grumpy, although I draw the line at screaming and kicking.

Screaming and kicking I think is the only way SmallBoy can express that he's hot, tired and fed up with it all (often once he screams he calms down). He loves being outside, though, no matter how hot it is/he feels. We've spent hours and hours at the park this week or picnicking "under the tree shelter" or going for walks. I offered to let him sleep in just his pants but he refused and wanted pajamas. During the week he drinks enough to fill the Atlantic (and pees enough to fill the Pacific) but today he just didn't.

Out and about at the park, on walks, at the shops, etc., he's lovely. At home, when it's time to do something he might not agree with he's a bear. I know kids act out at home/with parents because that's where they feel safest, but gosh the last few days have been a challenge!

Maud, I've just looked at the BBC Weather site. My area is expecting 27/28 up through and including Wednesday.

Still sleeping SB!!

Nope, awake SB now but he woke up VERY smiley and is reading in my bed. I can hear lots of planes heading to the air show.

I'm sure you're right and it's about being too small to express his feelings in any other way. I, though, would have no such excuse!

Just dropping in for a cooool cocktail with our feet in the water .... I think of you all often and especially Maud and Oxeye ... Wriggle is 7 tomorrow and we had the most amazing party today, in the woods, with a barbecue and a treasure hunt for silver pine cones and butterflies landing on the birthday cake ...
Oxboy must be 7 too, on Friday?
::Waves to all, blowing kisses::

LaBelleDame!

::squeals::

::squashes you to her ample bosooom::

Yes, I think of you and Oxeye often too. Wriggle is seven? Mais non, c'est impossible!

I did dangle my feet in the water today. I went to Hampton Court flower show and had a lovely time eating Purbeck ice cream while cooling my feet in Long Water.

We are watching Jessie J live from the Eden Project.

::life with a wannabe teenager::

LaBelle!!! Hello!

Hello, too, Maud!

We're just back from the beach. We went to a piece of Scoutshire Coast that is part of the National Trust for a play, a cream tea and a frolick on the beach.

Could someone explain to me why SmallBoy is dry day time and 99% night time dry (so much so that he wears "day time pants" to bed instead of pull-ups) but the minute he falls asleep in the car, even if he went to the toilet before getting into the car, he pees? ARGH! It's a new seat and I really need to sort out how to get it off and wash it (if it stays on it this heat the car will reek!).

::Enfolds Scout in the squashy hug::

Scout, I have no idea. Do the seat's straps rub against his bits and make him want to go? I thought it was a falling asleep thing, but then he'd regularly do it in the bed too, wouldn't he? A mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!

(Oh and does this mean he wears pants under his PJs. Only when I joined MN did I realise this is controversial!)

Boy is not wearing very much to bed these days , tonight it was just a pair of shorts , I peaked at the label and they are to fit " age 18-24 months" !!! eeek, He's been wearing them for over 5 years and they still fit.

Family Uni had a nice weekend of cricket, BBQs and cycling. Also managed a village fete, lovely to see boy and his friends being so independent at events like the fete.

Maud, I shouldn't think they do he's in a booster seat now. It's a high-back one that the seatbelt threads through to keep it at the right level to keep from cutting his neck and the lap belt goes over the top of the sides and across. Though that could be it. MrScout wanted to put him in pull-ups before we left though didn't actually tell me that!-- but I don't want to keep doing that and give him mixed messages since he's been "night time pants" (pull-ups) free for two weeks now. But he does it even in the middle of the day, like if he falls asleep on the way to YOUT.

He keeps doing things and saying "I can do xyz because I'm big." And if I could him [name]-Baby (one of my nicknames for him) and he's in a mood he'll say "I'm not a baby, I'm [name]-big boy."

Yes, he normally wears pants under PJs. It's in this heat though that he's pants-free (because he refuses to sleep in just pants with no PJs). MrScout was that he wore pants under pants (trousers). I didn't realize it was a thing, either.

Hmm. How puzzling. And not much help for you.

The Girl used to say she was "[name] [middle name] [surname] three years big girl".

I grew up in a no-underwear-under-nightwear household and never realised that people hold Strong Views on the merits or otherwise of this!

We always wore underwear under night clothes (I still do). I mean, if you look at SmallBoy's PJs the stitching and the tag would/should cause major itching and the pants protect him from that. I guess he'll end up doing either/both and not be bothered.

SB regularly says "My name is [five-letter-child-sounding-name] and I'm free (three)." Or he'll say "I'm [nine-letter-formal name]-[five-letter-child name]-[three-letter-adult name]." Except he adds a letter/a couple of letters to his formal name to make him sound like he's falling in the pool ("splash"). It's pretty funny.

Today, when asked, he said "My best friend is Bunny because he is soft and cuddly and my best friend." He also said that "Daddy is my best friend and Mommy is my best friend but Bunny is my best friend first." (It did melt my heart, even with the struggles we've had with the heat, etc.)

Aww. He's just so cute.

I want to go to bed, but they've got some great music documentaries on BBC4 tonight.

::dilemma::