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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel sad about DP spending Xmas at his exes

998 replies

Tumbleweeds24 · 24/12/2017 12:00

I'm 36 weeks pregnant and it's the first Christmas that me and DP have lived together. Money is really tight this year so we're not 'doing christmas' here per say. We've had alot to fork out for, bills rent and baby stuff which has fallen at a time where there isn't any disposable. I'm fine with that, we agreed between us we would make up for it when baby arrives in late jan. No biggie.

We discussed what we'd be doing on the day (christmas) and as i knew he would want to see his children I said I would go to my aunt's so he doesn't feel bad about leaving me on my own. We don't drive so I would have to spend the night there as I'm reliant on the bus service.

He's planning to go to his exes on Christmas morning to see the kids and stay there for about 6 hours he says. He says he's not having christmas dinner there but he probably will, that's ok I guess. I think he's downplaying their plans for the day to spare my feelings. If I'm not going to be home he has no reason to rush back does he?

I just feel a bit sad deep down. I would have been happy staying here and just not bothering with the festivities, cuddling up watching a movie with him or something would suffice - but because he knows he's going to be out the house all of Christmas day he's keen for me to go to my aunt's so he doesn't feel guilty himself for me being alone. I would rather not if I'm honest.

I'm happy for him being able to see his kids at Christmas I really am. I would never come between that, it's just the idea of them playing happy families that's making me feel a bit sad. He can't bring them to our place because their mum doesn't want him having them around the new woman, so to spend Xmas with them means spending it with her at her place.

Aibu to feel a bit down about this? I haven't said anything and won't, I don't want to ruin Christmas for him or his kids

OP posts:
Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:15

I use Facebook daily, but as I don't have him on my account I don't tag him in anything to link us.

Unfortunately my last relationship years ago was abusive and my ex spent time in prison for stalking and harming me. For that reason I'm careful not to post any of my DP's personal details on my account now, or anything too revealing, just incase any of it gets back to my narc ex somehow who would definitely make a point of harassing my DP if the mood struck. He's that sort of person.

I'm careful what I post and have been for years for that reason, so there's nothing on my account that could identify DP.

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Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:17

I've already had a quick nosey at his exes account for that reason. To see if she had posted anything relevant.

I can't see any statuses due to her privacy settings. There are photos of him and their kids from years ago which are public but that's to be expected.

OP posts:
Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:19

It was definitely him who left her, he got quite some stick for it from his brother who felt he had done her wrong by leaving her holding two kids - that's why his brother looked out for her after the split. He felt DP was wrong to walk out.

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stitchglitched · 26/12/2017 14:19

I would have a look at her FB now, she may have very private settings but worth a try.

stitchglitched · 26/12/2017 14:20

Xpost about her FB.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:20

I looked last night glitch to see if she had put any family photos as her profile or cover photos, this was when I wasn't getting a reply from him and i got curious. No recent updates that I'm able to see without being on her friends list

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DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 26/12/2017 14:23

Can you see her friends list? There might Be sisters, parents on there who have less private setting and have posted something. What about his brother and wife’s account? They called round to see the kids with their new baby yesterday. That’s the kind of thing you would take photos of. Might have time stamps on them.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:24

Good point about his brother and wifes accounts. I'll take a took now see if I can see anything

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Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:25

Can't see her friends list unfortunately no, but I know who his brother and wife are so will look there

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Taylor22 · 26/12/2017 14:25

Add her.

swingofthings · 26/12/2017 14:29

Oh tumble, I read your first posts and posted a bit, haven't been back since now, and now I feel this urge to take you in my arms and give you a big hug. You so remind me of myself at your age. I haven't been in your situation, but I too was so eager to believe all the things my partners told me, all the things that really didn't make sense but somehow always managed to come up with reasons that I couldn't deny and because it suited me to believe them, I did. It ended badly each time, betrayed, heartbroken and totally confused as to why they had treated me the way they had. It was always the same thing, they really really liked me but...

It took me 10 years to finally learn to recognise the type and I'm afraid to say that the father of your child to be born is showing all the signs of being a professional liar and probably some sort of two lives, if not being with her, making her think that your relationship is not the one that you believe you have with him.

The whole thing 'I went home at 5pm, fell asleep, didn't hear the phone, I'm so sorry but miss you soooooo badly' is so classic, it makes want to go to him and smack him in the face. Believe me, men who are committed never act like that. Even if it was true that he was scared to not being able to see his kids if he didn't do as his ex asked, even if it was true that he went there under duress and because it's the only way he could see his kids, a NORMAL father to be and loving partner would have been on the phone the second he left her house, saying how he realised that the situation wasn't right, that he was going to make it different next year, asking you how you were and that he was sorry to put you through this' and even if he was poorly, he would have still called you to tell you so and tell you that as he was feeling rough, he would want nothing more than to be cuddled up with you.

No caring man would put his partner through what he has put you through and then just go home, fall asleep, somehow not being woken up, and only then think 'oh yeah, I remember I have a partner who I've put in a very upsetting position, who has accepted it because she is wonderful, yeah, I guess I should call her now that I suddenly remember she exists'.

I'm so sorry Tumble but he really is full of s... and only getting away with it because you are clearly a very nice person, who only sees the best in everyone, and who can forgive easily because that's what you are supposed to do and showing your anger is not acceptable. He knows this and uses it to his favour.

I hope you go back and tell him what a F.... he is just as you rightly told him in your text, that saying that he fell asleep because he was feeling so poorly is not even close to being a good excuse and that he knows he should have been on the phone the second he left the house. Let your anger guide you, sometimes, it knows better and in this case, this is exactly what you ought to be feeling.

Tistheseason17 · 26/12/2017 14:31

I'm not a stalker, I promise!
Search using a friend's FB profile and then go to his mate's timeline and check who "likes" pics etc! Check his mutual friends for a fake profile that links them

Or..... acknowledge he is an experienced liar and go and stay with your family and forget this turd of a manchild.

nestletollhouse · 26/12/2017 14:32

Ever searched him on pipl.com?

Charley50 · 26/12/2017 14:37

A person can be controlling about access without being jealous or a loony or batshit crazy as some people are implying. Some women are controlling about access for many reasons, not all of them reasonable. Even if your DP is a bit useless, even if he cheated on her (with a different women from you), even if she doesn't like his parenting style, isn't a reason to withhold access, or control it to the extent he can't have his DCs in his own home, or his dad's home, as he had previously requested (have to say allegedly as he does seem quite the liar!).

I'm not defending your DP, but two wrongs don't make a right. They aren't together. Unless he's abusive, she shouldn't be controlling the details of access. If she gets on with him well enough to invite him to hers for hours on Xmas day, she should trust him with the DCs.

Having said all that; he has to stop having the easy life at the expense of everyone else.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:38

Aww thank you swing. I sure as hell have allowed myself to look a right mug haven't I. He always seemed the nice sort, the 'big softy' type that I usually give a wide berth because I have always been more attracted to a bit of rough. 'The nice guy' is turning out to be full of the proverbial. I don't feel like I know him at all now, at least not as the same person I thought he was.

Just searched him on pipl and got no results at all. His name is very very distinctive, still zero came back.

Have been very tempted to add his ex but don't want to intrude on her. She may not take kindly to me thrusting my presence in her face like that.

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Taylor22 · 26/12/2017 14:42

And in the nicest way possible if she doesn't like it how does that bother you?
It's a friend request. She can decline it.
Or you could message her. Which she can ignore.

You're not banging on her door demanding attention.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 14:48

That's true I'm not.

I don't think DP would take kindly to me doing that, mind you it's not like he cares much about what I like and don't like.

Truth is I feel a bit awkward about reaching out to her incase she thinks it's untoward. Maybe that's me misinterpreting his reaction as hers though

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swingofthings · 26/12/2017 15:05

You're not a mug, you're a nice person who struggles to believe that someone who has decided to commit to you and be happy to have a child with you could act this way because you would never even think of acting half as bad as he is.

Don't go and try to find out about his ex. Frankly, at this point, that's not the issue. The issue is that he initially pretended to feel bad for you about the situation, didn't want you to be on your own, made out to be the caring partner, forced to do something he didn't want, feeling so sorry for you, and yet he didn't even think of calling you as soon as he was over the supposed 'forced' situation. That's the issue. he can cry as he wants that he was poorly, that he fell asleep and all that rubbish, but I can assure you that this is a lot of excuses.

My husband is a very independent man and does a lot of things without me. He is away for work a lot, goes on holidays with his friends 2 or 3 times a year, and I can assure you that in the 10 years we've been together, not once has he failed to call me because he was feeling poorly or fallen asleep, even when it has involved nights out with plenty of drinking.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 15:27

Thanks for being so kind swing. When I look at it in its simplest format it's clear he's very negligent of my needs and emotions in the relationship and it's all about him.

Like you've pointed out if your husband of 10 years can call you from abroad, even after a heavy drink, then the fact my DP uses a bad throat as an excuse is just pathetic. It's clear where I fit into his priorities.

I've just got home. He's in bed asleep so has clearly been gaming all night. Didn't do the washing up he offered to do before I left on Christmas eve so that's been sat there two days, nor has he bothered attending to the washing that I politely asked him to take out of the washing machine.

He is a pain in the arse

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Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 15:29

To be clear I never ask him to help with things around the house am happy to do it all myself as am on maternity leave, its just the one occasion when he has time off work and I'm going to be out of the house I ask him to lend a hand and he doesn't even bother. Total man child.

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swingofthings · 26/12/2017 15:36

Expect him to have planned to act very poorly and play the role so well that he knows your king hearted self will feel sorry for him and will want to look after him. You won't put him on the spot because the poor thing is not well and deserves a rest to get better before he goes to work.

F that, wake him up, and tell him that you cannot accept that he didn't feel the need to call you, let alone at least check his phone, to reassure you as soon as he'd left and that if he was well enough to get into his car (or however he manage to make it back to the sofa), he should have certainly been well enough to give you that call. Nothing can excuse this especially on Xmas day.

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 15:41

Oh I'm definitely gonna wake him up for sure. I'm going to do housework then go and give him a shake. He was asleep when I left xmas eve so no goodbye or any time spent together then, didn't contact me all of xmas day barring 10am on the morning saying merry Christmas, now asleep all day boxing day when I get home. It makes a mockery of the fact were supposed to be in a loving relationship

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Taylor22 · 26/12/2017 15:42

Why are you doing the house work then waking him up?!

Wake him up and make him do it!

Tumbleweeds24 · 26/12/2017 15:44

I don't want to leave it any longer Taylor, mainly because I'm at that nesting stage of pregnancy and it irritates me :(

He's a zombie for an hour when he wakes up he definitely wouldn't jump into housework

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DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 26/12/2017 15:46
Sad

You know I guessed upthread that he was lazy git with housework too. Not surprised to have it confirmed. Even if the issues with his ex didn’t exist he really isn’t a catch. He doesn’t treat you respectfully.

Whose name is the tenancy in?