Aside from my FIL and stepMIL(ish) being blatantly manipulative (trying to get hubby to move out there, stealing my pills when we've been there, calling my mom a bad parent...) and getting upset when it doesn't work, I mostly get a lot of weirdness. My MIL has an irrational aversion to dolls with real hair to the point she's had anxiety with both pregnancies that we'll have a girl and she'll have to deal with real doll hair. When we announced on facebook and everyone was giving their congratulations, she comments that she'll take whatever we have but just remember, no dolls with real doll hair. So many times I've wanted to buy her a Barbie doll.
Then there's the never ending Christmas presents. She shops throughout the year for Christmas and since she lives in another state she brings some every time she visits. So when she tells us she's coming we know we'll have to find room for how ever many more big boxes she can cram in her car (I have yet to see her packing skills rivaled). Besides that, she'll have packages shipped here and tell us no opening until Christmas. To top it off she admits she impulse shops and doesn't even remember a month or two later what she got. For this year alone there are now seven boxes the size of the one our travel system came in and she's coming again next week. The worst is that these aren't usually even things we can use. It helps if I send her a wishlist then at least we'll get things like hubby will get t shirts but last year she bought toys for a 5-12 year old for a two month old. The only actual baby thing DS got from her was a single onesie.
Then there was the spanking incident. The last time she was here DS was starting to climb. I think he was maybe seven months old. She pulled him up on the couch with her then spanked him for trying to grab something. No! We do not spank, especially at an age when "no" is not understood yet, for somethung you let him do, without asking us our feelinga on how to handle things like that. Just no.
Then there was my dad with the name. I have vented about him before. He has his problems. He was one of those to pick a name for the baby long after we had told our choices. We chose a boy and girl name before announcing (except to my mom because I can't keep that kind of secret from her) to try to stave off all the name suggestions. My dad decided, long before we found out, that we are having a girl and her name would be Sarah. Even after finding out the sex he would constantly correct us when we'd use her name, tell us we were denying our daughter, insulting the name we chose and love because it honors hubby's grandma and my mom. At one point he told me it sounded like the sound a seal would make, like Mark doesn't? I'd mostly talk to him on the phone so I started hanging up whenever he'd mention it. Once was a warning and if he apologized I'd call back. Second time I wouldn't talk to him for a few days. My mom has even told him you don't mess with a pregnant woman when it comes to her unborn child.
Then there's the money stuff with him. He makes 4x a month on retirement that my mom does with her three jobs and is in this weird competition with my mom. We've been struggling a lot financially since hubby lost his previous job and isn't making as much at this one, plus losing other income. My mom has helped us a lot with diapers and groceries. My dad will complain that he has nothing, then gets upset when he finds out my mom helped us and suddenly give us $200 or something like that, then go back to complaining that all he has to eat is ramen. A month ago my mom bought DS new shoes, afterwards my dad went off on this rant saying my mom is jealous. What now?
My SIL is different but for the most part I can deal with that stuff too. It just still gets me that knowing I'm allergic to wool, she gifted us a beautiful hand-knit baby blanket when DS was born made of wool. It's now in a box in the closet for when he's older as it'd make a beautiful heirloom piece, but I'm not going to use it and be rashy all over just because she made it.
So this is not nearly as bad as some of the things you ladies are going through, but I thought it was insane!
A few weeks ago, I bought a bunch of books for the baby from the goodwill. They were a great price and in really great shape, so I took a picture of the stack and put it on Facebook.
Well apparently one of the books that I picked out and purchased caused some sort of controversy.
One of my aunts apparently bought the same book for my cousins little girl, and apparently she is the only one on the world who can find this book because when she saw it, she assumed that my other aunt had re-gifted it to me. Didn't bother to read that I just had bought them, called up my other aunt and chewed her out for giving it away. She wouldn't even believe that I could get it myself. And I'm pretty sure it was Dr. Susses ABC's.... This woman is certifiable!
So this is not nearly as bad as some of the things you ladies are going through, but I thought it was insane!
A few weeks ago, I bought a bunch of books for the baby from the goodwill. They were a great price and in really great shape, so I took a picture of the stack and put it on Facebook.
Well apparently one of the books that I picked out and purchased caused some sort of controversy.
One of my aunts apparently bought the same book for my cousins little girl, and apparently she is the only one on the world who can find this book because when she saw it, she assumed that my other aunt had re-gifted it to me. Didn't bother to read that I just had bought them, called up my other aunt and chewed her out for giving it away. She wouldn't even believe that I could get it myself. And I'm pretty sure it was Dr. Susses ABC's.... This woman is certifiable!
I have my issues with my MIL and some of the things that she does/says, but I've learned the single great thing about pregnancy brain is that I tend not to remember them. Although I have to admit that if she did some of the things your families had done, it would be impossible to forget!
My grandmother just told me (Facebook messenger) she didn't want to talk to me anymore because I'm critical and acting superior. Why?
My husband's grandfather just died today and I answered her question (it was a group message with me, MiL, my mom, and grandma) of whether or not we should all go in together to get flowers like this: "You're welcome to get flowers, but we aren't since we are involved in the ceremony."
My grandmother just told me (Facebook messenger) she didn't want to talk to me anymore because I'm critical and acting superior. Why?
My husband's grandfather just died today and I answered her question (it was a group message with me, MiL, my mom, and grandma) of whether or not we should all go in together to get flowers like this: "You're welcome to get flowers, but we aren't since we are involved in the ceremony."
My grandmother just told me (Facebook messenger) she didn't want to talk to me anymore because I'm critical and acting superior. Why?
My husband's grandfather just died today and I answered her question (it was a group message with me, MiL, my mom, and grandma) of whether or not we should all go in together to get flowers like this: "You're welcome to get flowers, but we aren't since we are involved in the ceremony."
Really???
Just so I understand correctly: your grandmother wants you and your husband to go in on buying flowers for your husband's family due to his grandfather's passing?
It is an extremely sweet gesture the she is wanting to do this, but to ask for money from the direct family of the deceased is a little tacky.
Re: Family/inlaw rants and weird stories...
Then there's the never ending Christmas presents. She shops throughout the year for Christmas and since she lives in another state she brings some every time she visits. So when she tells us she's coming we know we'll have to find room for how ever many more big boxes she can cram in her car (I have yet to see her packing skills rivaled). Besides that, she'll have packages shipped here and tell us no opening until Christmas. To top it off she admits she impulse shops and doesn't even remember a month or two later what she got. For this year alone there are now seven boxes the size of the one our travel system came in and she's coming again next week. The worst is that these aren't usually even things we can use. It helps if I send her a wishlist then at least we'll get things like hubby will get t shirts but last year she bought toys for a 5-12 year old for a two month old. The only actual baby thing DS got from her was a single onesie.
Then there was the spanking incident. The last time she was here DS was starting to climb. I think he was maybe seven months old. She pulled him up on the couch with her then spanked him for trying to grab something. No! We do not spank, especially at an age when "no" is not understood yet, for somethung you let him do, without asking us our feelinga on how to handle things like that. Just no.
Then there was my dad with the name. I have vented about him before. He has his problems. He was one of those to pick a name for the baby long after we had told our choices. We chose a boy and girl name before announcing (except to my mom because I can't keep that kind of secret from her) to try to stave off all the name suggestions. My dad decided, long before we found out, that we are having a girl and her name would be Sarah. Even after finding out the sex he would constantly correct us when we'd use her name, tell us we were denying our daughter, insulting the name we chose and love because it honors hubby's grandma and my mom. At one point he told me it sounded like the sound a seal would make, like Mark doesn't? I'd mostly talk to him on the phone so I started hanging up whenever he'd mention it. Once was a warning and if he apologized I'd call back. Second time I wouldn't talk to him for a few days. My mom has even told him you don't mess with a pregnant woman when it comes to her unborn child.
Then there's the money stuff with him. He makes 4x a month on retirement that my mom does with her three jobs and is in this weird competition with my mom. We've been struggling a lot financially since hubby lost his previous job and isn't making as much at this one, plus losing other income. My mom has helped us a lot with diapers and groceries. My dad will complain that he has nothing, then gets upset when he finds out my mom helped us and suddenly give us $200 or something like that, then go back to complaining that all he has to eat is ramen. A month ago my mom bought DS new shoes, afterwards my dad went off on this rant saying my mom is jealous. What now?
My SIL is different but for the most part I can deal with that stuff too. It just still gets me that knowing I'm allergic to wool, she gifted us a beautiful hand-knit baby blanket when DS was born made of wool. It's now in a box in the closet for when he's older as it'd make a beautiful heirloom piece, but I'm not going to use it and be rashy all over just because she made it.
A few weeks ago, I bought a bunch of books for the baby from the goodwill. They were a great price and in really great shape, so I took a picture of the stack and put it on Facebook.
Well apparently one of the books that I picked out and purchased caused some sort of controversy.
One of my aunts apparently bought the same book for my cousins little girl, and apparently she is the only one on the world who can find this book because when she saw it, she assumed that my other aunt had re-gifted it to me. Didn't bother to read that I just had bought them, called up my other aunt and chewed her out for giving it away. She wouldn't even believe that I could get it myself. And I'm pretty sure it was Dr. Susses ABC's.... This woman is certifiable!
Jamie
My husband's grandfather just died today and I answered her question (it was a group message with me, MiL, my mom, and grandma) of whether or not we should all go in together to get flowers like this: "You're welcome to get flowers, but we aren't since we are involved in the ceremony."
Really???
It is an extremely sweet gesture the she is wanting to do this, but to ask for money from the direct family of the deceased is a little tacky.
All cleared up. She apologized.