I need some advice/reassurance please.
I've been friends with someone for about six years and now our children are in the same class at school. Since becoming parents this friend has become very competitive, right from them being born - and with everything, sleep, weaning, the lot. I've never engaged with it but it has since strained our friendship because I don't enjoy her company. Her competitive nature drives me mad! It seems to have ramped up since starting school - she will often make sly comments about my parenting decisions.
Anyway, she keeps inviting my child to their house to do activities but she is inviting my daughter before asking for my permission first. I dread the time that we have to see them - school run, play dates etc and I try to avoid these times. I've tried politely saying no to meeting up etc because I don't want to offend her but I feel really uncomfortable and stressed around her, and she either hasn't taken the hint or doesn't want to... there's also been times when I've said no to something and she has then asked my 4 year old daughter what we did instead. This then results in my daughter becoming sad that I said no to them! I have just had another baby so I could just be being emotional, but I'm not sure what to do. They've also now joined my child's swimming lessons so we see them at the weekend too. Another activity I used to love but now dread. AIBU to feel so at odds with this friendship?! Thanks for reading if you made it this far!