My MIL keeps buying our LO clothes. At first it was fine, obviously I appreciate it and I know she's excited for her soon-to-be grandson, but its gotten to be overkill.
First of all, I'd asked my mom to hold off buying clothes since I'm only just at 7 months so I think (even though she wouldn't say it) she feels a little jilted like my MIL beat her to the punch...but to be honest, i sort of feel the same way! This is our first child and half the fun is picking out clothes--its to the point where it would be rediculous b/c we're pretty much outfitted through the first year.
I feel like a brat for NOT wanting her to keep buying things--but come on, I want to do some of this!! Hes OUR (soon to be) son!!
Re: I feel like a total brat...MIL rant...
Return them. That's what I'm going to do if we get too many clothes. Even if it's just for store credit at least I'll be able to pick out what I want her in.
My mom always says to me that I'll have plenty of time to buy her clothes. Well, she's only going to be a baby for so long. Why does everyone else get to pick out what she wears? I totally feel you.
I understand how you feel like a brat. ;-)
I have bought my baby exactly ONE outfit (have to find that, btw...) Everything else was bought for me and I'm SO relieved! Saves me a ton of $$$$.
The other thing is you can always have your mom buy something else that would be truly meaningful for the child -- probably even more so than an outfit she'll grow out of after one wearing. Maybe her very special teddy bear or other stuffed animal. maybe her blankie.
Also, most people bought us BABY clothes, like 0-3 months. I was so excited when one of my aunts gave me some 2 year old stuff and said "put it away. When I had my baby I thought I'd never have to buy her an outfit and all of a sudden she reached 9 months and would have been naked because I ran out of stuff people had bought me." Thing of all the outfits your mother will have a chance to buy your LO when she's 3 or 4 or 5.
As crazy as it sounds, I understand. My MIL actually went shopping with DH and me a couple months ago and kept showing us outfits she thought were cute for LO. We didn't like them, she is very traditional and DH actually told her that one of the outfits looked amish. To which she replied, "Well if someone still bought it, she would be allowed to wear it, right?"
I wanted to say "Why would you buy us an outfit when we just told you that we didn't like it?" But I kept my mouth shut. I did feel like it is OUR baby, you already had two sons that are fully grown, this is our daughter, let us dress her like we want.
Now, I just take the clothes and smile. I figure she is just going to spit up and have diaper spills on them anyways. I don't want to have to buy them. lol
hahahahaha--this sounds like something my MIL would pick out!
This totally cracked me up.
Right after we found out the sex, my MIL went out to garage sales and came back with 2 garbage bags full of baby clothes, up to 24 months! I hadn't bought anything for our daughter yet, and I felt pretty overwhelmed. After going through it all, we decided to give over half of it away- it just wasn't stuff that we liked at all, or it wasn't in very good condition. I did feel a little cheated too, on some level- she had bought a Christmas and an Easter dress- things that I was really looking forward to buying!
We did sit down with MIL shortly after and we explained that we really appreciate her enthusiasm, but we want to buy some clothes for our daughter too! And that it would be one thing if she just picked out a few outfits that were a great deal or irresistable, but she just filled up a huge bag of clothes because they were cheap! She understood, and we haven't had anymore issues since. Good luck with your situation- hopefully your MIL will understand that you want to buy your son some clothes too!
It was pretty bad... it was a jumper dress with cross stitching all over it... needless to say we haven't received that outfit yet. She does have a new outfit for us every time we go over for dinner, which is once a week!!!! I understand that this is the first girl in the family, but still! lol
Don't feel bad, it is fun to pick stuff out yourself.
MIL has bought DD a ton of clothes. Most of them weren't season appropriate (like long sleeve denim tops in July), so she hasn't worn most of them. Also, a lot of them are just plain ugly haha!
We make sure to put on one of her outfits when she comes for a visit, but that's about the only use we've gotten out of them.
I'm going to donate them when we're done having babies.
We have gotten a lot of other hand-me-downs that have gotten a lot of use though. MIL is just a little out there with the clothes picks lol!
My MIL is the same way- this is the first grandchild for her, and she is a shopaholic- but I know the feeling. I do hope we get to buy some clothes ourselves and between her and showers - we don't just get clothes and have to buy the big "boring" things ourselves.
Maybe kindly tell her that you're very thankful but getting overloaded and if she could take a break you'd appreciate it?
To each her own. When we found out we were having a girl, my mom sent up this box of all my baby stuff -- including a gorgeous dress with cross stitching all over it -- some fancy children's clothing designer from the 70s. Anyway, I remember pictures of me in that dress, and it meant so much to me to have it for my daughter as well. It's gorgeous, IMO -- very "heidi."
That would make it very special, if it was something that I had as a kid, and I have seen some cross stitching stuff that is really cute.
I'm not hating on all of it, but we do live in the "south" and some of it is too much for me, being that I grew up in Miami.