To expect dp to stand up for me and ds?

[PrammyMammy]

Dp works 5 days a week and i work 3 days per week and study 1 day, well i did but it is the summer holidays and i have just started maternity leave.
Got a text the other day at 3pm from mil saying she is coming over, but i was out visiting my own sick granny and had made plans to meet my mum and go swimming, so i replied saying i wasn't in but dp would be home at 6pm. She asked whether i would be back by six with ds and i said around six yes.
Note my pil have never really visited us, it is a new thing after us suggesting they visit because ds 18 mo didn't know them well.
I cancel the swimming with my mum so i could be home in time so ds could see them for a bit before bed time. I was minding my 3 year old niece also so she was with me too.
They were there when i arrived, so i got to making the teas and coffees as requested, leaving the two dcs in the sitting room with PIL. In that time, the kids managed to knock a large photo off the wall with a ball and smash it, by the time i came from the kitchen none of the ILs had moved, or moved the dcs, or said anything about the smashed photo, leaving me to sort them out and do the tea. Dp came home while it was going on thankfully and suggested we sit outside as it was nice. Ds needed his nappy changing first so dp went to do that and mil piped up, "you've been working all day and you come home and are having to change nappies too"
I was raging, she had hardly uttered a word before that, and said,
"What do you think i haven't changed a nappy today?"
Or done anything else for that matter? (didn't say that though lol) But dp just gave me a look.
Now i know i am on maternity leave, but i did work three days a week and i do 90% of the house work. Dp doesn't ever do ironing, washing, sweeping, mopping, hoovering, changing bed clothes, dusting, dishes ect. He does pick up toys and make dinner though, but i don't mind, that is the way things are.
Yesterday she sat and had a conversation with a lady at a birthday party ds was invited to about ds and the birthday boy being so different considering there are only 6 months between them(ds is 18mo, boy is 2), ds can only say a handful of words, and hasn't been introduced to a potty yet. I was embarrassed and angry, we were in a room full of kids and she referred to my ds as the 'bottom of the pecking order' What the heck does that mean? Again DP tells me just to leave it. I wouldn't leave it if it was my own mum though.

[Morloth]

Sounds like she is looking for an argument, personally? I would give her one.

[wolfnipplechips]

YANBU she is spoiling for an argument your dh should really say something but if he's not going to then i think you should just say it straight in a non confontational way.

You do have to remember re potty training speaking etc that they don't really remember. My mum guilt tripped me so much about my ds that i had hime referred to a speech therapist, i saw her yesterday and wanted the ground to open up and swallow me as there is clearly nothing wrong with ds 2yo he never shut up during the whole thing. When i told my mum she said "you've made a very worried grandma happier" When she saw dd 6 hours post ventouse delivery she cried because she was sure she had a "syndrome" shes a loon and going to be a mare as a MIL to some poor woman when db settles down.

[PrammyMammy]

Well, there is little chance of silent children in this house lol!

Dp sees it like she hasn't made any effort so far (the visiting is a new thing) and he suggested that they make more effort for ds sake, so he doesn't want to put them off and go back to them having no interest in us. Which i can see where he is coming from, but otoh it's driving me crazzzy.

I am 32 weeks pg, but have been suffering PGP and have crutches and a big belt to wear when things are bad so i am on early mat leave. So not totally heavily pg, but getting there.

And you would stop a 1 and 3 year old throwing balls about even if they are not your own kids right? I would anyway.

[wolfnipplechips]

If you are on crutches and looking after an 18 mo then i would say its damn right dh changes a nappy and they should certainly be making you tea, i would only have them visit when dh is there or could they collect ds to give you some time off.

[PrammyMammy]

It is rubbish isn't it Frosty. The physio leaves me feeling worse each time i visit. Trying to figure out if it is that, the raging hormones, a mixture of both or just the annoying ILs that are making me so angry lol.

[Silver1]

TBH-I'd put your foot down with MIL, say out loud what you are thinking, and let DH know why.
Take it from me it just gets worse if they think they can get away with it-in my case it's FIL.

[rupertsabear]

It won't be long before your ds starts to understand comments like "bottom of the pecking order". Those kinds of things can be very damaging to a child's self-confidence. If she's not going to be lovely to him then I'd be a bit careful about let her take him.

[independiente]

I don't know why some women are like this. (My own MIL is wonderful, and reading this I feel doubly lucky).
I think you have to explain to your DP why it is vital that you speak up for yourself and your son, and why it is vital that he speaks up for you both. So that everyone can exist with their self-esteem intact. It doesn't have to be said to the PIL in an atmosphere of animosity - rather, it is more effective if calm and thought-out - so your DP needs to be on board.

[MiniMarmite]

My MIL is from the 'dinner on the table when DH gets home school of thought' but even she would make me put my feet up and make me a cup of tea and do a nappy change (or be happy for DH to do it) if I were pregnant, on crutches and had an 18 month old too.

YANBU at all

[PrammyMammy]

Dp said that when she said bottom of the pecking order she meant the youngest child at the party, but it was said in the same breath as putting him down for being so far behind the birthday boy in development. A lot can change in 6 months though at that age i know from having my niece around so much, so i guess she could have just forgotten.
I know if it was my mum, sis, friend etc i would just say something without thinking, don't know why she is different, i don't want to be the demon dil.

[SJisontheway]

She sounds like a PITA. I'd find it hard to say nothing too. Giving her the benefit of the doubt re the pecking order comment, do you think she may just have been trying to make the other boys parent feel good. I sometimes compliment friends dc's saying how advanced they are etc etc. I don't mean to put my lo down (obviously I think she is a genius) but just want to say something nice about their dc. The phrase is out of order either way obviously.

[PrammyMammy]

Glad it's not just me who thinks she's a pita. Gaud she drives me nuts.

Frosty, i haven't no, but it was recommended by someone on here. Hopefully i can manage the last few weeks doing as little as possible. The physio keeps on rolling my left side back into place, it is agony for a few days afterwards but it eases off.