huge vent
I know it has been forever but no time for updates now, I just need to get this off my chest.
Some history:
Dh's parents are really pretty great. They have their issues but I could have done much worse in the inlaw dept. Sometimes, I prefer them even over my own disfunctional mom (my dad has passed away). I know that is horrible to say but unfortunately it is the truth. The inlaws live about 30 minutes away, my mom lives out of state.
Dc are finally almost getting on some sort of sleeping/nap schedule. They pretty much wake up at 6am-ish and going to sleep around 7ish (they still need a 9 or 10pm bottle to sleep through). And usually they need a nap after they are awake for 2 hours or so. So the thing that varies is the length of the naps depending on many factors of that day. Dd is pretty good most of the time with falling asleep. Ds on the other hand has troubles and needs help. And if I miss that window of opportunity to get him to nap/sleep, it is not pretty.
I don't know what they did 35 years ago when dh and bil were babies and I would not think that babies change all that much but MIL does not get it that ds cannot fall asleep. She tells me he will nap when he is tired. But then tells me what they did back then to get babies to sleep. So see, they did have trouble back then but she for some reason does not see it that way. Whatever.
The babies never seem to do as well (sleep, eat, etc) outside of our house since we had them isolated for so long because they were preemies.
His family always waits until we are about to leave and is like "Oh wait but......" usually it is to ask dh computer questions or whatever. It bothered me before but now that we have babies, when we have to go, we have to go.
Fil pisses me off at times because they are European and he acts like he is god, not just a man. And sorry, I don't go for that. I am respectful but I just don't go for that.
Ok, situation. Yesterday MIL watched the babies at their house for the afternoon so I could shop for a dress for their christening next month. Everything was fine. I got back around 4:30. I figured I'd stay and do the 6pm feeding with her and then go so they could fall asleep in the car and I could get them to bed easily when we got home. Well they ate at 6, ds fussed a little and they were both finally calm but still wide awake. It is now 7pm. I wanted to get them in the car and get going before ds became not calm and crossed that line of being overtired and inconsolable. So they were outside helping me get the babies into the car and the neighbor comes out and was all excited that the babies were there. Now I totally get the inlaws point of view, they were happy and wanted to show off their grandkids, but time was a big factor here and since they were having sleep issues, I really needed to get them going. So I told them this, and when the neighbor came back out to say his wife would be out in a minute, I said I'm sorry but I really need to get them to sleep and left. I could tell my inlaws were pissed at me but I had to put my babies first. And I felt like it would not have been just a minute and would have been like 5 or 10 and all it takes is a minute to make a big difference. Needless to say, it ended up not mattering anyway, ds fussed the whole way home and I had to pull over on the highway to make sure he was ok. And then it took me and dh almost 2 hours and another bottle to get both of them to sleep when I got home. After all that, I went to go make the bottles for the next day and such, and finally went to call them because I felt bad and it was too late. So took the time to send them this email (which I thought was pretty nice) when I was totally exhausted and just needed to sleep:
Hi, I was going to call you but we had a rough night over here so everything got delayed and I just finished all of my daily "chores." I am sorry about the way things were when I left tonight. I hope that you guys were not upset with me, I was just honestly trying to do what I thought was best for the babies. The sleeping schedule is new for them and for me and Dino and speaking from experience, it is not pretty if we miss the window of opportunity to put them to bed when they are tired. I am sure you know that already though. I thought they would fall asleep quickly and have a smooth night and since they were calm, I wanted to get them going as soon as possible before they had the chance to really get fussy. Unfortunately, the night did not turn out that way, Justin fussed the whole way home and I had to stop on the LIE to make sure he was ok. Then when we got home, it took me and Dino almost 2 hours to get them to go to sleep. It was very rough. Anyway, I just wanted you to see this from my point of view, and I understand yours as well. I know you wanted to show off your grandchildren and feel that 2 minutes would not make a difference but I have learned, it can. Like I said, Dino and I are still learning and I can say for myself at least, I will probably make many many mistakes, more than I have already made but I am trying to do my best by these babies and I just need to do what I think is right for them. Next time we are over, if you would like, I will personally go ring your neighbor's doorbell and ask them to come out to see the babies. I appreciate everything you guys do for us and the babies, today and all the time. We are all very lucky to have you both as our parents and grandparents. I just do not want there to be any hard feelings. I hope you had a great night and are sleeping peacefully now. Talk to you tomorrow :)
Mil is on vacation from work this week and is home and fil is home by 1pm. They are both the type to go online everyday and even if one of them saw this, I am sure they would tell the other to check it out. Whole day goes by, no response, no phone call, no nothing. Finally, when the babies went to bed tonight I needed to call them to ask mil something about yesterday that I need to check with the doctor about. So we talk, she acts like nothing happened. She is about to get off the phone and I said I don't know if you checked your email but I explained to her again and apologized again. And she was like well we were just really embarrassed. And I'm like hello, what about your grandchildren???? Isn't that what is important here. They have no f***in clue and never will. I am sorry for the language I am just really pissed. It was ok when we got off the phone and I am sure it will all blow over but I hate when there is upset and discomfort, it really gets to me. Especially with them, since we are still kind of in that "good behavior" stage, even though dh and I have been married for 6 years and together for over 10. I mean if it were my mom, no way in hell would I have apologized. Not that it is to the same extreme at all but I feel like this...... There is a movie about the Dilley sextuplets and the town has a fair and the parents are finally like we have to get out of here and her mom is like what will the people think, and they are like who cares, we need to do what is best for our babies. That is what I feel like here. And the thing that really burns me is that even dh, who was here with me last night, doesn't get it either. I mean he supports me but he thinks I should have waited. He has seen when ds crosses that line and can't get to sleep, I just don't get what he doesn't get. And say I am totally wrong and out of line, the inlaws #1 still should respect that I did what I thought was best for the babies and support me and #2 could have responded to my email, even just sent me a response that said ok. Also, the neighbors have a little girl, I am not sure how she is but she is young enough for them to remember what this is like and realize that I have got TWO babies not just one.
Anyway, I just needed to vent. I am still not happy about this but I will get over it.
3 Comments:
Number 1: NEVER APOLOGIZE for what you have done for your children. THEY come first, always. Not your IL's pride. Not your IL's showing off their grandchildren. Your children are not some prize Show Dog that needs to be pranced around to thousands - they are babies who need their sleep, and who have a mommy who knows their needs and puts them first.
Number 2: NEVER ask your IL's if they received your apology. If they can't be "adults" and address it themselves, let them wallow in it.
They put you in a very tight position - and not only did you do the best you could, you did what was right for the babies. Never apologize for their ignorance!
Now, you got ME pissed off at them! ;)
Huggs sweetie.
I agree with Tina - never apoligize, you just need to do what's best for you and your family. They come first!
Your IL's could suck wind - they should be the ones to apoligize to you. Knowing full well what you & Dino need to do for the kids.
Dh's aren't the same as mommies...they just don't get it.
Hug & kisses!
Hi Ilyse, It's been so long, but I try to keep track of you and the twins on your blog. I had a premmie as well. He is 16 months, and I still keep him on a tight sleep schedule or it is not pretty. I think this situation with your ILs and their neighbors will blow over quickly. It sounds like your ILs understood your position, and had theirs. They were probably trying to ignore the situation, so it could just blow over. So, don't apologize anymore and let it blow over. I think about you and look for updates on your beautiful babies. I'm still on FF charting, but have moved to Mommy Zone with the group. Stop by if you get a chance or PM me on FF. Love, Wendy
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