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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WIBU? Lashed out at DH’s family a bit

376 replies

sterrryerryoh · 06/09/2010 13:29

Oh Bugger - long post, sorry
I lashed out at my Dh?s cousin?s girlfriend

So WIBU?

DH and I have adopted a baby, and we couldn?t be more thrilled. The adoption journey began three years ago after several years of IVF and TTC. Not once during all of this time has anyone in DH?s family asked us how we are or how things are going, despite knowing all about the IVF/Adoption etc through DH?s mum.
Not a problem to us - some people just don?t want to interfere or know what to say. It has never bothered us, their apparent indifference, as we know there may well have been reasons etc.

We adopted our DS in January this year. To date, only one of DH?s cousins have met him (and this is a close family - we used to see each other about once a month) - we asked DH?s brother why they were staying away, and he said it was so ?we could bond? as a family. OK, fine - we have sent them all messages to say they are welcome to come round, but no real responses until the Friday just gone by.

It was DH?s cousin?s 30th - we all went out for a meal. DH?s OTHER cousin and his girlfriend are expecting. A little way into the meal she said to me ?Sorry about being pregnant. It must be gutting for you?
I said ?Erm? what?? and she said ?With you having to adopt and not have your own. Just saying, sorry?
So I said, ?It?s fine - I have my lovely DS, and am fully aware that other people get pregnant - I?m thrilled for you? - so then she said, ?Oh good - we were wondering - is it you that?s barren or is it DH that?s firing blanks? - cue much laughing and chortling at the table. So DH replied ?You know, that?s a bit personal and insensitive? and she said ?Well, sterrry said she?s alright with it, so come on - give us the goss? We?ve been dying to ask?

So, I calmly replied ?If you genuinely wanted to know what our difficulties were, the time for you to talk to us and offer support might have been during the invasive fertility testing a few years ago. Or it might have been during our failed IVF cycles, or it might have been at some point over the last three years of our Insanely painful and highly emotional adoption journey. To be honest, saying this poisonous crap to us right now smacks of insensitivity and voyeurism? to which she replied ?so it?s you then, and he's alright.?
DH and I looked at one another, stood up and I said ?Hope your fucking food chokes you, you bitch? and walked out.

Bit dramatic I know, but she?s a cow, right?

Or did I just bring myself down to her level?

DH think I did just fine, and he?s completely behind me, but I feel a bit of an arse, as they?re his family and I might have made things a bit horrible now?.

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 06/09/2010 18:27

Sterry and sterry's dh, you are both brilliant!

You are well shut of the stupid bitch!

Congratulations on your lovely ds.

ChippingIn · 06/09/2010 18:31

Fucking.Hell.

sterrryerryoh I am so glad you didn't name change for this, if this had been someone's first post I think I would have been a bit Hmm - thinking that no-one would say that or that or that surely?? What a nasty fucking bitch and I cannot believe the others were laughing and chorteling FFS

Un-bloody-believable.

What you said was so perfect, it's a shame your sub conscious has been preparing for this, even if you weren't consciously doing it :(

Bastard bloody insensitive wankers.

You know what - I am so proud of you! and even more proud of you that you didn't stoop to her level and say anything horrible about her pregnancy or baby etc

I think I would have slapped the bitch.

One of my GS's is adopted over the years people have said things like 'Oh wouldn't you have liked one of your own' or 'It's a shame you couldn't have your own children' - while he is standing there no less Shock. People do just say the stupidest fucking things - but this takes the cake.

I am very, very impressed with Mrsterrryerryoh very impressed indeed - he sounds very lovely :)

I'm sorry you didn't come on here sooner - we'd have put you straight Grin

diddl · 06/09/2010 18:32

And did your husband´s brother not speak up?

I can´t believe he didn´t walk out with you.

Surely he didn´t join in with the "chortling"?

I just can´t believe this attitude in this day & age.

annec555 · 06/09/2010 18:33

I think you were brilliant.
That is the kind of flat, calm, blunt rudeness that I aspire to but can never quite pull off. I always try to be too clever with my comebacks.
And when I say 'rudeness' I mean completely totally justified rudeness obviously. In fact it was pretty much your solemn social duty to say what you did!

Threelittleducks · 06/09/2010 18:33

Massive respect lady!

Sounds like you managed to hit all angles in a very measured fashion given the circumstances!
Bloody good on you!
Many folk would have balked/stuttered out a lot of sweary words/smacked the woman in the face, but you didn't miss her. Too often I face situations like this and days and days afterwards am hitting myself for not saying omething better, going over what I wish I'd said.
What a horrible lady.

Congratulations on your ds :)

ChippingIn · 06/09/2010 18:34

Oh and in case you are still in any doubt

YOU WERE NOT BEING UNREASONABLE

Grin

She was. They were.

PaulineCampbellJones · 06/09/2010 18:39

Awesome response. I bet she felt as small as a currant with a bite out of it. I think that the fact you didn't go too far will give more of an impact than wine throwing ever could.

rubbersoul · 06/09/2010 18:41

You did SO SO well! Be very proud of your fantastic response. Sorry you had to listen to that utter evil crap from a poor excuse for a woman. Be sure to not even waste a second thinking of her- really not worth your time.

Congrats on your baby boy!!! Smile

TheBolter · 06/09/2010 18:46

YABU... perhaps she has issues and needs help...

I don't think so! Wink Much respect. Congratulations on your ds.

JaxTellersOldLady · 06/09/2010 18:50

OH MY GIDDY AUNT! (really wanted to type OMFG)

what a horrid, vile, venomous bitch this cousin is! I can only echo everything that the others have said;

1 - Congratulations on your son.

2 - YANBU she most definitely IS as are the rest of the family.
3 - Personally I think you were very restrained in your 'lashing out' very very very restrained. Good on you, you have the upper hand.

hairytriangle · 06/09/2010 18:54

Well done you! She totally deserved it. Congratulations on adopting your dear son!!

emmyloulou · 06/09/2010 18:58

I am suprsised you didn't slap her tbh, very restrained.

RunawayWife · 06/09/2010 18:58

Shes a bitch, I hope she has a baby with colic Grin

LittleMissHissyFit · 06/09/2010 19:15

i too wanted to add my applause to this wonderous mn standing ovation. Your come back was faultless, your delivery impeccable!

I'm not too shabby on the odd occasion that verbal anihilation is needed myself, but that retort was just fabulous! Well done you! I too would be proud and honoured if you were a friend of mine! Congratulations on becoming a mum! He's one lucky lad!

ScaredOfCows · 06/09/2010 19:26

Well done to you for putting her straight, and how absolutely bloody insensitive was she and the rest of them for laughing.

Congratulation on your little boy - he's got one kick-ass mummy!

ledkr · 06/09/2010 19:55

Wow! I can't believe there are people in the world that vile. I am a bit mental and firey so would have probably lost it and hit her and made myself look a twat then wished id said something profound like you. well done lady and great news on your new baby now forget it cos you couldn't have handled it any better and concentrate on your new family

sterrryerryoh · 06/09/2010 20:00

I can?t believe how massively cool you all are! You?ve made me feel so much better. I feel truly vindicated (and my ego?s climbed a few notches too?.) Grin

OP posts:
LunaticFringe · 06/09/2010 20:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

giveitago · 06/09/2010 20:04

My god - you were very controlled I think.

Well done for saying that and nothing worse - and boy that woman deserves it.

You get on with a being great parents. Congratulations to you both.

ledkr · 06/09/2010 20:04

Yeah we cool. Gold tooth glints in the sunlight..

LisaD1 · 06/09/2010 20:05

OMG! Well done you for standing up to the nasty, venomous little bitch!

I'm afraid I am nowhere near as constrained and she WOULD have choked on her food, as I forced it down her throat!

Wtf is wrong with people?

Anyway, You sound great, your son is very lucky to have you as his mum, congratulations.

Squitten · 06/09/2010 20:07

Good GOD - what vile people!!

TBH, I admire your restraint and am very impressed that that horrible cow didn't end up with a drink in her lap/plate of food on her head/fork in her eye...

And it's nice to see that your DH is backing you up - your son is a lucky little boy to have such great parents Smile

gingerkirsty · 06/09/2010 20:08

Bloody well done. Gold star and a glass of wine for you x

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 06/09/2010 20:09

Agree with pp that in an absolutely and completely ideal world, had you been a saint, you would have said something marginally more dignified than "bitch" in order to retain every last square millimetre of the moral high ground "shallow and narrow-minded person", for example but she was a total bitch, you definitely still have the moral high ground and I am beyond impressed at the amount of dignity, restraint and expressiveness you managed to summon up under the circumstances. I would have gaped like a stunned mullet and said something a lot more Anglo-Saxon and a lot less repeatable.

Unbelievable that the group of them found this behaviour in any way acceptable. It's hard to even count the different varieties of offensiveness that she managed to cram into one brief conversation.

SirBoobAlot · 06/09/2010 20:09

What a cruel, heartless bitch! I hope you are okay. Feel so angry and shocked for you right now.

You're way more controlled than me. I think I would have frigging flipped the table. Don't think you lashed out at all, either. I hope you're damn proud; stupid cow.

Congratulations on your son.

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