It is never ever a good idea to peak too soon

in your disapproval of something/somebody.

It leaves you with absolutely nowhere to go if the situation happens to get worse.

This is one lesson I've learnt vicariously. (Strange for me -as I tend to usually learn most effectively through making my own mistakes...)

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This lesson is courtesy of our downstairs neighbours - who I shall call Herr & Frau Grumpy-Pants.

Herr & Frau Grumpy-Pants moved in directly under us when the Caspi-Man was 6 months old. Our relationship started out cordially enough - in that reserved, stilted fashion that Germanic neighbours are famed for - and after a few months of polite "Guten Tag"s in the stairwell, Frau Grumpy-Pants initiated a conversation.

The chat went something along the lines of: "What a lovely baby. We do really, really like children. We have 3 ourselves. And we have 5 grandchildren." (Interestingly enough - to this day none of the 3 "children" nor their off-spring have ever been sighted on the premises.)

As the Caspi-Man began to crawl, an afternoon coffee was scheduled. Flowers were exchanged. Requests that we lay thick carpet over the fake wood floor were imparted. Hmmmm...

As the Caspi-Man began to toddle, these requests were repeated. And concessions were made. Toys designed to aide walking were rationed and many gifts were relegated to "decorative" status. (Including: the Fischer Price rolling balls, the beautiful Haba solid wood building blocks, the pull along "Buzzy bee" sent from NZ, and countless others.)

Our landlord, in the early days, made a few token visits to share Herr & Frau Grumpy-Pants' desire for us to lay thick shag pile throughout. He passed on this message in an empathetic, apologetic manner and with a weary, defeated look in his eye that led me to believe that we were far from the only matter that the Grumpy-Pants' had been bringing to his attention.

However, compromises were again made and runner carpets were purchased.

Things deteriorated after returning from a 6 week trip downunder with a jet-lagged toddler. The Caspi-Man is, overall, an unbelievably good sleeper - and in his infancy we were fortunate to experience less than a handful of disturbed nights. But for several days - 3 am CET is well and truly morning - for a toddler set to Antipodean time. Not mollified by 6 weeks silence from above - the Grumpy-Pants took to airing their grievances in open letters posted in our building's communal entrance. This was rather heartening - as we soon learnt how popular the Caspi-Man was with the rest of the "Haus"hold, who tut-tutted their disapproval on the stairwell at the strongly worded public notices.

Then followed a number of increasingly unpleasant encounters- too many and too petty- to chronical here.

About 18 months ago, the situation took a dire turn, when the Caspi-Man fell ill in the wee small hours with a 39.8 degree temperature. He was inconsolable, in pain, and howling. The Grumpy-Pants chose to bang on their ceiling in protest (a move which actually woke our beloved Monika who lives directly below them). Outraged beyond belief, I did what any self-respecting mother would and dug out my highest heels and tap-danced my indignation above their bed.

After that, all pretense of neighbourly politeness ceased completely, and we became "invisible" in the stair-well. (It is quite heart wrenching to have to explain to a 3 year-old to not take it personally when his cheerful "Guten Morgan"s are so blatantly ignored.) Never before (at least to the best of my knowledge), have I been so openly despised.

And then came Olli...

Olli, the 4 month old kitten, who has in the past fortnight decided that midnight to 2 am is his preferred 'active' play-time. The hours in which he will leap and jump - chasing mice (both toy and imaginary), when he will stalk and lunge (often from great heights), the time to frolic and drag around the Ger-Man's shoes by the laces, and during which he has (at least 5 times- very loudly) sent my bedside lamp crashing dramatically to the floor.

Oh yeah... Herr & Frau Grumpy-Pants peaked way, WAY TOO SOON....