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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:
Hatsoffdear · 03/01/2018 12:47

I think you are handling this very well op.

It sounds like you are both under stress and you coped and he didn’t. Now that’s not nevesssrily going to be an ongoing pattern but just be mindful going forward of curtailing any more grand plans of his.

Do sit down and talk it all through with your dh after the christning and it’s quite ok to criticise his family if they are out of line.

You two should be tight together. You are the unit now with your baby and he needs to understand that and support you.

Best of luck Flowers

Eastend2015 · 03/01/2018 12:48

In all this (very rightly) feminist chat about your DH bring a bit of a prat and setting boundaries, I would gently suggest that you don’t lose sight of this special day celebrating the birth of your little one after a traumatic few months. Celebrate his arrival and be glad for everything you have- don’t let it be overshadowed by fuming at DH. Take a breath and remember why you are doing this.

wagil · 03/01/2018 12:50

I do no entertaining at all now due to DH's non participation in the work involved.

The last time we had visitors he did nothing, when I was cooking he decided to put his hubcaps in the kitchen sink, just as they were due to arrive he went and had a bath, then he sat in an armchair and held his glass out for me to pour his drink.

Shame really, he used to love having people round!!!!

plimsolls · 03/01/2018 12:50

OP you sound lovely and sensible. These early months can be so hard, and I think your feelings are really understandable.

I think your new plan sounds great.

I hope you enjoy the day on Sunday. Cake

Fundays12 · 03/01/2018 12:51

Tell him to either do it himself or it won’t get done. He is behaving like a child over it.

SilverBirchTree · 03/01/2018 12:53

@Eastend2015 you’re absolutely right. Once the basics are done I’ll make sure to take time to refocus on the baby and everything I wanted to celebrate initially

OP posts:
HattietheManatee · 03/01/2018 12:53

LOL at your mum's cake Grin.

I think it’s all woven together TBH. When we were fighting I didn’t even know what I am most upset about. This ‘wife’ work being dumped on me, my fears about being dependant, the hard time I’ve had with the baby, moving away, not seeing my family as much, his family being overbearing and intrusive. It all blurs together and I feel so angry and sad. So not just arguing about cake etc, there is all this other stuff!!

Once this party is out the way, sit down with your OH and talk through these feelings with him. A rational, decent guy will then realise not to take on projects and dump them on you at the last minute.

Completely agree first few months with a newborn is a huge shock and not necessarily indicative of your marriage.

Well done for getting done what needs to be done for the Christening. Book a cleaner for after the event as well, and if budget allows, get a mobile hairdresser in for a haircut/order a fabulous dress so you feel wonderful for the day - you've earnt it! Flowers

MrsJBaptiste · 03/01/2018 12:57

I don’t think the not arguing is as big a deal as some of you are making out. I’ve been with my DH for nearly 19 years and we’ve literally had a handful of disagreements in that time and have never had an argument or a fight where voices are raised, etc. Neither do we walk on eggshells, we’re just both pretty laid back and don’t like the idea of falling out.

GreenTulips · 03/01/2018 12:59

It does smack of his mother bending his ear and he's realised he can't please everyone so has given up!

Did she reply?

mindutopia · 03/01/2018 13:01

Can you book in a function room and pay for someone else to do it? You should not be catering your baby's baptism. You should be relaxing and enjoying your day.

In the future, put your foot down. My dh is lovely, but he too has this thing about about we should host people all the time. It's not about 'we should do our own thing.' We have no family nearby anyway so no one else to host anyway. But instead of just arranging to meet people somewhere or hire a function room, he wants people at our house...usually for the whole damn weekend because they have to travel so far to get here. He means well and says he'll do the leg work (cleaning, food shopping, cooking, etc.). It has never once in 7 years of marriage happened. I ALWAYS do it. It's not that he's a jerk. He just has poor time management skills and won't end up finishing work early enough that day to get it all done, etc. and then just doesn't care enough if the house is clean before guests or we have plenty of food to offer them, etc. So keep on top of it now. Don't let it become a pattern.

Lweji · 03/01/2018 13:03

TBH, at this point, I'd tell him to take over the party or book a restaurant and pay for it.

You are being lumbered with everything, you will after the party (cleaner or not), and probably for the next event, as you haven't put your food down on this one.

GabriellaMontez · 03/01/2018 13:05

The nuggets thing is so cheeky!!!

Is this a reflection of mil boundaries generally or a misguided attempt to be helpful?

skunkrat · 03/01/2018 13:06

Who thinks of nuggets as a go to hot food anyway Confused presumably these are adults not children?

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 03/01/2018 13:10

@SilverBirchTree, you should be proud, you've stayed cool, kept your head together, and made it happen. Well done for compromising, but still doing if your way. Chicken nuggets, eew !
Hope that you all have a great day.

FreshStartToday · 03/01/2018 13:12

Tempted to nominate your mum for quote of the day!! Grin She could start a whole new line of themed cakes! She sounds ace. Hope that you all have a lovely day on Sunday.

Nanny0gg · 03/01/2018 13:17

I love your mum! I think she and I would get on... Grin

Do plan a long constructive conversation with your husband when this is all over.

Loyaultemelie · 03/01/2018 13:20

I think I love your mum! I have migraines almost every day so tell your DH to suck it up and get on with life like the rest of us have to!
As a fellow veggie although you don't want any hot food could I suggest Quorn nuggets just to annoy mil? Sorry in a really bad mood today!

theymademejoin · 03/01/2018 13:22

If there's a danger of your mil turning up with nuggets anyway, be prepared to head her off at the pass. If need be, assign someone to relieve her of them at the door and put them away somewhere (the bin maybe?). I would also ask her specifically what sweet she is bringing so you have her tied down to something definite. Otherwise, she may just change her mind at the last minute and decide to bring nuggets instead and you're left with insufficient sweet stuff.

If anyone else has offered to bring something, I would tell them what you want (e.g. sweet) and ask what they will bring so you have a list of all food.

Although I do think vegan is a good idea......

RadioGaGoo · 03/01/2018 13:22

'Lies on his fucking fainting couch like a southern belle'

Oh I'm stealing this one Rhiannon.

RhiannonOHara · 03/01/2018 13:25

You can have that one, Radio. Grin

HarrietSmith · 03/01/2018 13:27

I am not now a religious person but used to be a member of a church.

It is depressing that an act which is supposed to have spiritual significance for an individual and to bring a worshipping community together has caused such a large amount of strife.

I honestly think the best thing - on the assumption that faith actually means something to you and your partner, rather than being some empty social convention - is for the two of you to sit down and talk about what kind of parents you want to be and what future you want for the child. The baptism celebration should reflect these shared values.

End of sermon.

eggsandwich · 03/01/2018 13:31

Tell him no one has a cooked meal at a christening that’s bloody ridiculous, secondly regardless of age his grandparents are quite capable of eating from a plate on their laps if someone brings a plate of food to them if they are that infirm that they are unable to walk to the table to pick what they want themselves.

Also start as you mean to go on, tell him not to use his bully boy tack ticks on you and as he has now insisted he is organising the christening at his insistence then give him a pad an pen and tell him to fucking get on with it and leave him to it, don’t worry about it being a reflection on you, just say a little speech when everyone comes back to the house that you want to thank Dh for everything he’s done in organising today he was so insistent that he wanted to do it all himself which was great as you could focus on your darling child.

Weezol · 03/01/2018 13:32

Another vote here for your mum.

Since you have salvaged things, I would suggest you tell him all of the clearing up is his job, no discussion. Tell your mum this too so she doesn't accidentally help him out (or beat him over the head with a plate). When the last guests have gone take yourself upstairs and leave him to it.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 03/01/2018 13:33

I love your Mum!

You sound pretty sorted now, so TRY to enjoy it.

Afterwards though, you need to do some thinking. Then some talking. What he has done is totally unacceptable. He is NOT your manager & he is equally responsible for your home & your child and he’s TOTALLY responsible when HE alone, against your wishes, wants to host an event. Sure you can help if you want to, but he doesn’t EVER get to do this again. As for a ‘stress induced migraine’ over this, he needs to grow up, that’s just unreasonable and if HE cannot assess his level of ability before his actions cause a ‘stress induced migraine’ then YOU get to say NO to anything you don’t want dumped at your feet, I bet if it was a stag weekend for his best mate he’d have made it happen.

It’s important that you don’t bottle up resentments as you go, it’s not a bad thing to disagree/argue. It’s really bad to let things build so that you have 4 years of annoyances to draw from. My ex was like that, hence being an ex. He was fine with everything...until he wasn’t, then a huge backlog of petty annoyances would come spewing out...you can’t do anything with that.

It’s one thing to be polite about your DH’s parents, but it’s quite another to accept everything they do & say. You NEED to find a polite way to address the issues.

SemolinaSilkpaws · 03/01/2018 13:44

OP, why not go to your Mums with your baby until the day of the baptism as you want to spend a bit of quality time with her to make up for her not getting to host. Tell your DP you are doing this so HE can get everything ready for your return with your family.