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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Children weddings birthdays... Am I being precious?

175 replies

Mapley · 28/03/2011 18:14

We've been invited to close friend's (of my dp's) wedding on ds's second birthday and it's a no children invite. We rang the groom to say that we're sorry, we wouldn't be able to come as we wanted to spend ds's birthday with him, and he said to bring him then, we want you there.

I felt uncomfortable with this as I don't want other folk who have had to leave their kids at home to feel put out. And I don't want him to spend his birthday somewhere innaptopriate. I'd rather celebrate it with him. But equally I do not want to upset my friends.

The wedding's couple of hours away, but not impossible to go along in the evening. So we thought about it and said we'd just come along in the evening. Since then though the bride to be has texted my dp to say that her dp is upset and can we reconsider? She wants us to do something with our dp in the morning and come along for the meal at 4pm.

So now my dp wants me to spend the morning with my ds, drop him off at babysitter's after lunch and go to the meal onwards. He says he thinks I'm being selfish, that ds won't care about his birthday and that our friends will only get married once. The thought of leaving my boy without us in his birthday makes me sad, I don't want to do it. But dp says that I'm thinking about myself rather than our friends or him, and he personally wants to do both and go for half the day.

I feel really sad now. I don't want to upset dp, or our friends, but am I being precious by not wanting to be apart from ds on his birthday. I've offered a compromise that dp should go on his own if that's what he wants to do, but he's still fed up. I was trying to think positive, and even though dp wouldn't be there I was thinking of doing a birthday tea for ds with friends, but dp says he wouldn't want me to do that without him there.

Not sure what to do now!

OP posts:
cumbria81 · 28/03/2011 22:18

I was going to say YABU and v precious but then I remembered that my parents decided to postpone their summer holiday this year because they would have been away for my 30th! I don't care either way but for some reason it's a big deal to them Grin

anonacfr · 28/03/2011 22:29

Why pressure? They want their good friends to be there to share the day and they changed their 'no kids' rule to accommodate them.
The OP's Dp is the one who is 'pressuring' her to attend the afternoon do.

DitaVonCheese · 28/03/2011 22:41

Third para sounds like pressure to me :)

seeker · 28/03/2011 22:43

The only person it seems to me who is applying pressure to anyone is the OP, who is pressuring her dp not to go to his close friend's wedding because it it a 2 year old's birthday.

Which is, frankly, ridiculous.

Dozer · 28/03/2011 22:44

Yabu.

Mapley · 28/03/2011 22:44

I do feel it as pressure if I'm honest. But this thread has helped me to see it in different ways. There's usually several ways to see the same thing.

OP posts:
Mapley · 28/03/2011 22:46

I'm not pressuring my dp to do anything. I told him to go without me!

Anyway i think everyone missed my decision on the previous page.

OP posts:
ChristinedePizan · 28/03/2011 22:48

I missed it yes - I think because you said you were going to bed! I think that's a good idea and you can tell people he's there because it's his birthday and they will make a fuss of him :)

Magicjamas · 28/03/2011 22:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

DitaVonCheese · 28/03/2011 22:52

I did miss your decision because you said you were going to bed and I cross-posted Grin Glad you've come to a decision :)

Mapley · 28/03/2011 22:53

I nearly went to bed. But then thought some more.

I'm not entirely happy, I'd much rather have the kind of day dita describes but I want my dp to be happy, and for my ds to be happy he needs us both to be happy, so it's probably the best thing to do. Ds has not been to a wedding yet, so I'll just tell him it's his party.

OP posts:
DitaVonCheese · 28/03/2011 22:55

PS the couple are more or less giving OP & DP no option but to go to the wedding - that sounds like pressure to me! I just think if you ask someone to do something and they say no then it's a bit strange to keep asking and then tell them you'll be upset.

DitaVonCheese · 28/03/2011 22:57

X-posted again :)

For some reason, my DD was under the impression that my DB's wedding was her party (I have no idea why - her actual party must have seemed pretty tame in comparison) but she was unbelievably excited and was on the dancefloor until past midnight Blush She was about a month off 2 at the time.

Is there any way you could go up the night before and stay nearby so that you can spend most of the day together before heading over for 4 pm, rather than spending several hours of the day travelling?

Mapley · 28/03/2011 23:02

I think I'd like to be at home for his birthday morning atleast. I've been making him a birthday present and it's too big to take with us and i'd really like to give him that and his cake and candles at breakfast. He can have a long nap in the car on the way there.

He'll love the food, music and people I'm sure. We'll make the best of it!

OP posts:
DitaVonCheese · 28/03/2011 23:14

:)

itsalarf · 28/03/2011 23:18

Think you have made the right decision to go. Your DP wants to go, and his opinion counts as much as yours. He will remember you have done this for him. Your DS will not have a clue! I feel really hard hearted after reading this, as I just do not get worked up about birthdays and things.

WestYorkshirePudding · 28/03/2011 23:20

I know you've made your decision but I wouldn't take your DS with you to the wedding. You sound so excited about his birthday that he'll probably be shattered and a nightmare come 4pm when you sit down to the meal.

Enjoy a night out on your own with your OH!

What if some closer friends of the B&G would have liked their kids at the wedding? They'll be pretty pissed off that you have your son there. Just be prepared for that.

EmotionalMess2011 · 29/03/2011 03:42

I can completely see where op is coming from. i actually think that the dh, bride and groom abu tbh! i could never hand dc onto somebody else on their birthday, especially in the early years, youv only got the first five birthdays that you can enjoy as a family before they start school and you are forced to send them away for their birthdays in school, with friends ect. first few years absolutly fly by and i would make every birthday (not nearest conviniant day) count. i know its different if you need to be in work or something really important or unavoidable happens (such as funeral ect) but for a wedding of dhs friends...nope, noway. i think if dh would want to be away for dc birthday it would be his loss (not that he would want to, wev already had the conversation) im not somebody to be over clingy over dc either, i just do think that the first few birthdays are important and i wouldnt compromise over them :)

and as for the friends, i really dont understand the thing about guests being so important to weddings?? i had 6 people at my wedding, yet i was only really bothered if one person failed to show!...maybe thats just me? Confused :o

EmotionalMess2011 · 29/03/2011 04:01

read thru the entire thread then missed the last 6 messages! op, ur very kind to put everyone else first...i wouldnt! but then again i am disgustingly precious! :o

Mapley · 29/03/2011 06:55

Well I'm not too sure that i'm putting everyone else first. I might stand up in the speeches yet and demand everyone sings him happy birthday!

But thanks again for all comments. Some made uncomfortable Reading, but that was what I was looking for when I asked for advice. It is nice to be agreed with and understood, but sometimes being challenged is necessary. I've come to the useful conclusion that noone is in the wrong, they just see things differently. This will help me sort my head out and make the most of the day however it turns out. Because really at the end of the day if someone had really wanted to flame me they would point out I'm lucky yo have friends, dp and ds, and spoilt for being upset. That's the conclusion I've come to anyway.

Sorry not to reply personally to everyone tho. I did find every post useful .

And sorry for all the typos!

OP posts:
sunnydelight · 29/03/2011 07:02

I was going to post that yes, you are being precious, but then I read you had made a decision which I think is trying to take everyone's feelings into account as best as you can, so well done.

I vividly remember DS1's 2nd birthday; he got massively overexcited and crashed out within half an hour leaving DH and I to entertain three other 2 year olds whose parents were busy drinking and socializing in the garden and completely ignoring their kids. That was the last "small child" party I had at home!

onceamai · 29/03/2011 07:04

This is precisely why you don't ring up to decline invitations and have a good old chat about how you would love to but ...... The response to a formal invitation should be a written - John and Mary thank Peter and Jane for their kind invitation to their wedding on Saturday, 10th May at 3 o'clock but regret they are unable to accept because of a previous engagement.

Go to shop have nice wedding present sent and end of .. no upsets, no questions, no explanations.

seeker · 29/03/2011 07:21

I'm just imagine this thread

"AIBU.to be a bit upset that a really good friend of dp's can't come to our wedding because his wife wants to celebrate their 2 year old's birthday? Dp is very upset - we're only going to get married once - the two year old will have lots of birthdays! Is she being a bit of a Mummyzilla?"

Mapley · 29/03/2011 07:55

Quite seeker, :-) there are always many ways the view the same situation.

Thanks for your opinions throughout the thread, regardeless of how one sided they were, it was helpful to read them and to have my feelings challenged.

OP posts:
RunAwayWife · 29/03/2011 08:02

I think your DP is being very sensible TBH your son wont care if you go out for a bit, you can make a fuss of him the next day.