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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be furious with DH over party

336 replies

SilverBirchTree · 03/01/2018 10:43

Been with DH for over 4 years and currently in the middle of our first ever fight.

We have 3 month old DS and it’s been a rocky few months. Massive trouble breast feeding, and health scares with the baby including an ER visit. In the same period of time we moved house and we now live in an area that is completely new to me and 30-45 minutes drive from family.

I have been looking forward to having him baptised. I was so worried and unwell myself at the time of his birth, so missed the initial joyful ‘the baby is here’ time. I saw his baptism as the event for me to quietly celebrate my beautiful baby and how far he’s come.

My mother lives down the street from our family church. We’ve had family weddings, funerals, baptisms there for decades. Mum offered to organise the baptism then serve tea and cake at her house afterwards. Perfect.

DH said no. He wanted the baptism to take place in our new community. He made a little speech about how we’re adults and we need to throw our own events, how his parents shouldn’t have to drive so far to get to it etc. He said he’d do most of the work. I very very reluctantly agreed to have it in our new area and host our parents and siblings at our new home.

Once it was booked DH tells me that actually he needs to invite all his aunts, uncles and cousins. A week later he says that tea and cake isn’t enough- it has to be a cooked lunch. And his grandparents are too old to eat on their laps so it has to be a sit down lunch. Plastic cups are no good, we have to rent glasses etc etc etc. meanwhile he has done sweet FA to make it happen. I even had to repeatedly remind him to tell his grandparents the time.

Then at Christmas he took to bed with a migraine. The reason - he is so stressed about the party, he won’t be able to ‘help’ anymore. It’s up to me. Oh, but his mother (a whole other story) will ‘help’ instead.

I’ve spent the week beside myself with stress (made worse by Baby induced lack of sleep). I am furious that he insisted we turn down my mum’s offer to host and then left me high and dry with his family’s demands and the mental load of trying to please them all.

Today I finally cracked and accused him ruining something that was important to me. We had a full argument with raised voices and me crying. He continued to spout his views about hosting our own events like a broken record, seemingly not caring that I’m the one doing to heavy lifting to meet his directives.

He’s now off sulking and probably texting his mother about how mean I am.

AIBU? Any advice on what to do now? I’m new to arguing with a spouse and not sure what happens when neither party is willing to apologise.

OP posts:
SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:06

Lol @TeandToast yes, nuggets, the ultimate power play. Someone should install a button on trump’s desk that will rain unwanted chicken nuggets down on North Korea.

OP posts:
LostInTheTunnelOfGoats · 04/01/2018 14:11

Haven't rtft but he's really, really dropped the ball on this one. It's so disappointing for you given what a rough time you've had. In five years it'll be forgotten about but he's really fucked up and I'd be gutted in your shoes.

Don't lift a finger this weekend. He pushed for holding the party his way and he can sort it out

SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:28

I had a second argument with DH today, with me telling him this isn’t on. That I am upset that he ruined what would have been a nice celebration for me and instead turned it into a week long source of stress.

It came out that his whole ‘let’s have it in our community’ nonsense is due to his mother who has been pressuring him, complaining that she is hurt that she was ’excluded’ from having ‘alone time’ with the baby in his first few weeks while we stayed at my parents.

Baby and I were sick in the first 3 weeks. We went to stay at my parents who fed and looked after us until I was back on my feet. DH was so stressed at the time that he could barely butter toast, my mum laundered every sock and cooked every meal.

This has apparently caused his mother to feel excluded because she had to visit the baby at my parents house for the first few weeks (30 minute drive from hers) and didn’t get ‘alone time’ with just her son, husband and the baby.

I’ve explained to husband that no one gets alone time with a sick newborn, that his mother’s ego was not my priority when my baby was sick, and that I am not going to have her score keeping dictate my parents’ involvement in our lives, or sideline my traditions.

I also took the opportunity to explain how I feel about the incessant daytime drop ins and how they are intrusive and make me feel like I’m their tenant.

DH to his credit said he would speak to his Mum about their weekday visits. He finally apologised for dropping this this f&@king party in my lap and said he would manage his mother’s involvement. He also said he would pull his head out of his arse and help with the last minute running around- I just needed to tell him what to do. I will be emailing him that mental load cartoon imminently... but it’s better than nothing.

We’ll have a big chat about the bigger picture stuff once we survive this weekend.

MIL has really burnt her bridges with me this week.

And if I see a single fucking chicken nugget this baptism is going to turn into a Tarantino film.

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 04/01/2018 14:28

Speak to him about the visiting situation. If he feels unable to broach the subject with his mother (and I could understand why that might be the case) then ask him about getting the locks changed and not giving them a key.

It's all very well if you can take yourself out at times they are likely to visit but if they'll just let themselves in anyway it defeats the object.

YouTheCat · 04/01/2018 14:30

Epic cross post there.

At least he's listening to you.

ferntwist · 04/01/2018 14:31

Well done for digging deeper and finding out MIL and FIL were behind this. Also for standing up to your husband about him opting out of helping!

KickAssAngel · 04/01/2018 14:33

As you're married it doesn't matter too much that either property is in a single name - they're both part of family finances.

But WHY is this new house just in DH's name? It's a PITA to add his name to the flat if you had it originally, but it seems really weirdly illogical NOT to have your family home in joint names if you share all finances. It's almost as if someone is deliberately trying to keep you side-lined and financially vulnerable.

SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:33

@YouTheCat yes a big improvement on our last argument.

Now just trying to maintain the peace and survive the weekend.

OP posts:
ChristmasCakes · 04/01/2018 14:36

YANBU.

You can't let it break though because it's your babies christening.

Send word that there will not be a fancy sit down lunch - who does that anyway?! Cold buffet prepared the day before will be 100% and if they dont like it they can all just fuck off DH included.

SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:39

@ChristmasCakes yes that’s my other epiphany- that those who don’t appreciate the free food and drink I am providing can fuck right off to a place of their choosing.

The host (especially very reluctant, postpartum hosts) decides the menu. End of.

OP posts:
LostInTheTunnelOfGoats · 04/01/2018 14:40

Oh my God I've just read the full thing.

Your MIL is an utter nightmare and I don't say that lightly. "Alone time" with a newborn doesn't happen even when the baby isn't sick. "Alone time" with baby, husband and son - why is it so necessary that she excludes you from the time she wants to spend with your newborn baby? What a selfish, mean woman. Because the best way to bond with a new grandchild is to harass and exclude its sick mother Hmm

You need to be very careful here, OP. Your inlaws do not have your best interests at heart. You're going to have years of stress and drama ahead of you unless you - and more to the point, DH- nip this in the bud now. I'm afraid you're going to end up regretting this house move, they obviously think they have you over a barrel and can do as they please

I can't stress enough how vital it is that DH grows the fuck up and stands up to his mother. His behaviour has been shameful but at least he appears to grasp that now.

Also, fuck MIL and her fucking nuggets.

Is the baptism this Sunday? I'll definitely be stalking the thread for an update. I'm absolutely furious on your behalf at the way you've been treated over what should be a very special occasion

SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:44

@LostIn yes the baptism is Sunday. I will post an update, it’s the least I can do after all the great advice I received from this thread.

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 04/01/2018 14:45

Gosh! I think tiger mum has finally made an appearance and did very well! Good on you!

Let's hope he sticks to his side

Cantuccit · 04/01/2018 14:46

Well done OP!

I think they'll see another, stronger side of you.

Please get DH to get the key back and also tell them they need to come to the front door - and only AFTER they have made plans to see you on the phone. No more daily drop ins.

Ohforfoxsakereturns · 04/01/2018 14:47

*Silverbirchtree well done on taking DH to task on this. It’s no great surprise that he was trying to keep his mother happy. Everyone needs to re-set their heads because you're The mother now and you call the shots in your house, with your child.

Saying that, I imagine it’s really hard for her. Is this her first grandchild? They say that mothers aren’t as close to their son’s children as they are to the daughters, and I can see there’s truth in that (as a general rule). But she needs to manage her expectations and build a relationship with you as a mother, not as the keeper of her grandchild.

I have sons and daughters and am extremely maternal. This will be me if i’m not very careful. I’m all alpha mother at the moment as they are in their teens and i’m a single parent. I am very aware i’ll be in danger of making a grab for the first grandchild to come along unless I back the fuck off. I’m hoping that having an awareness of my child’s partners needs will stop me being a dick. But I do have some sympathy for your MIL. And DH very much needs to speak to her.

I hope the party goes well and can be a celebration of your new family (in all it’s forms).

SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:47

Yes the house is a whole other issue but that won’t be resolved in a weekend or a mumsnet thread unfortunately.

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 04/01/2018 14:47

I personally think that where you have to say no to people about meet ups, is that you counter offer an alternative, this the no is no longer rude. It's ok to say no to them. How they react is there problem.

GreenTulips · 04/01/2018 14:48

Whoops! Wrong thread - ignore

RhiannonOHara · 04/01/2018 14:52

Well done, OP!

astoundedgoat · 04/01/2018 14:55

I'm really glad you were open with your DH - four years without a fight is not a virtue if you're bottling up resentment and frustration. Best of luck on Sunday!!

Wine Wine Wine
SilverBirchTree · 04/01/2018 14:57

@OhforFoxsake yes first grandchild and MIL has only sons, no daughters.

I agree that it’s harder for the paternal grandparents in the early days because the baby is still so attached to the mother, the mother might be feeling fragile and prefer her own mother’s help to that of her MIL...harder to navigate.

I am not totally without sympathy for MIL, but I really think she just needed to wear this one. She literally has a lifetime to enjoy our child, there was no need for her to be jealous and throw a strop over not being the centre of focus when he was first born.

She was welcomed every time she visited, invited to come anytime. She had lots of cuddles, lots of photos etc. it just didn’t occur on her terms.

OP posts:
GeekyWombat · 04/01/2018 14:57

And if I see a single fucking chicken nugget this baptism is going to turn into a Tarantino film

You are made of stern stuff and clearly your mum's daughter.

Good luck for the weekend. Hopefully in the aftermath DH will do the things he has promised and you can start life in your New Community (!) on an even keel.

CassandraCross · 04/01/2018 15:17

Sorry OP, I'm now secretly hoping there is a Tarantino type Chicken Nugget Off.Grin

Good luck this weekend, and I hope you sort everything else out as well.
Boundaries need putting in place, this is your life not your MIL's. The old saying good fences make for great neighbours is very true.

MaggieFS · 04/01/2018 15:18

I'm sorry MIL has made this week so rotten for you but hopefully this will be a turning point for change for the better. She really needs to reign things in.

Badhairday1001 · 04/01/2018 15:18

I haven't read the whole thread but it sounds like your dh had been convinced by his mother to do this without realising how much hard work it would be. We all make mistakes but it sounds like he doesn't want to admit that he was wrong.
If it was me I would go ahead with the baptism and just have tea and cakes at your house. Your original plan sounded lovely, there is absolutely nothing wrong with tea and cakes after a baptism. Keep it low stress and try and enjoy the day.