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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be sick to death of MIL's reaction to DS's name?

115 replies

AberdeenAngus · 27/08/2015 19:53

DS has a normal, everyday, run of the mill, boys name. We picked it because it's a varient of my dad's name. He died while I was pregnant. :(

The response of everyone else to his name was an 'ahh, that's nice, like your dad' kind of response. MIL's response was 'ahh, that's nice, like the [insert name of obscure breed of farmyard animal]. I put that down to her being a bit batty and just ignored it, but for the last 3 years she has been obsessed with this connection between his name and this farmyard animal. Every item of clothing she buys him, every toy, every book has it on it/in it. It's not even the breed that has his name as that's too obscure and she can't find anything, so she gets the bog standard breed instead. A dress up costume came in the post today.

AIBU to be sick of this and to wonder what the fuck is going on in her head?

OP posts:
itsraininginbaltimore · 27/08/2015 20:16

Although I admit I would never have made a connection between Jamie and Jacob and I am not sure that Jacob is a variant of James at all. Confused

Welshwabbit · 27/08/2015 20:17

Jacob sheep are lovely (parents used to own some) but even given that, I wouldn't connect the name to the sheep. That is odd. Incidentally, I would connect Jacob to Jamie - they are the same name in different languages. Sorry about your father, OP.

RaspberryOverload · 27/08/2015 20:18

Jamie comes from James. James and Jacob have the same meaning.

cashewnutty · 27/08/2015 20:19

Woohoo. I was right! I used to live in a farm steading and the farmer bred Jacob sheep. They were lovely.

AberdeenAngus · 27/08/2015 20:20

I've been googling her name like mad (thanks to whoever suggested looking at it). Apparently she shares a name with a donkey :o [evil]

OP posts:
SilverBirchWithout · 27/08/2015 20:20

Sheep not so bad ... But you will have to say someting when she starts buying him very colourful coats Grin

Fluffy24 · 27/08/2015 20:21

I'd not have made either connection tbh...

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 27/08/2015 20:24

It was Joseph who had the coat!

Buy her donkey stuff, especially Shrek donkey stuff.

quietbatperson · 27/08/2015 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wolpertinger · 27/08/2015 20:29

It's soo obviously not Jacob like the sheep Angry It is v suspicious that she just wants it to be like the sheep so it's not Jacob like your dad AngryAngry

You are going to have to tell her no more sheep, and mean it. Maybe a donkey item for every new sheep Grin

SilverBirchWithout · 27/08/2015 20:30

Whoops so it was. In my defence Jacob gave Joseph the coat.

Goodness I am certainly going to be an even battier MIL one day.

BolshierAyraStark · 27/08/2015 20:33

Eh? No way would I connect either tbh...

Raahh · 27/08/2015 20:33

I would make the James/Jacob connection, only because I studied Jacobean literatureGrin- named after the reign of King James.

I would not, however, immediately think 'sheep'.

I am guilty of, briefly, buying horse themed items when I had dd2. Her name is Philippa- means lover of horses. She prefers Frozen themed tat however.[grin

Floisme · 27/08/2015 20:33

Will someone please just tell this poor woman what she's doing wrong!
I'll do it myself if no-one else wants to.

Waltermittythesequel · 27/08/2015 20:37

Ah it's quite sweet is it not?

I would never make the connection between the two names.

gamerchick · 27/08/2015 20:37

Well now you've connected her name you can be equally as irritating until she takes the hint. Wink

PlayingSolitaire · 27/08/2015 20:38

I don't think she's doing anything wrong. I think it's cute she's buying him sheep things. She's not being nasty in anyway. Just let her buy the sheep. I am sure she'll buy him mine craft or whatever when he's into something instead.

What does your DS think of the sheep?

ShouldILTB · 27/08/2015 20:39

No connection at all between Jamie and Jacob for me. Nor would I connect Jacob to sheep.

My DD's nickname is Bee and I buy her anything I see with bees on it..... I'm making the most until she gets old enough to tell me she hates bees lol

AberdeenAngus · 27/08/2015 20:39

Possible Christmas present from DS?

www.amazon.co.uk/Plush-Animal-Mask-Sound-Donkey/dp/B001HCJB00/ref=pd_sim_21_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WDCDCFXCEJHB3662098

OP posts:
PlayingSolitaire · 27/08/2015 20:40

Just googled Jacob sheep - the lambs are so cute!

AberdeenAngus · 27/08/2015 20:42

What does your DS think of the sheep?

If it's not a car, dinosaur or football he's not interested.

OP posts:
echt · 27/08/2015 20:44

James is the anglicised form of Jacob, so the link is clear, but MIL is plainly over-egging it.

HazelBite · 27/08/2015 20:44

My son has been given a load of sheep but he is called Sean!

LucilleBluth · 27/08/2015 20:45

Am I mental....I really don't see the problem, just a grandmother buying sheep themed stuff for her grandson, maybe trying to forge a bond!

Maybe I'm not seeing something that you lot are.

FortyCoats · 27/08/2015 20:50

Get this printed on a mug for her birthday as a gift from ds with text reading "I love my grandma" ????

to be sick to death of MIL's reaction to DS's name?