Thanks for the tips…. unfortunatetly coed doesn’t work: we don’t HAVE couple friends, and it would just mean more inalws. And booze doesn’t work as most of my ILs don’t drink, and would be totally weirded out to have it there.
It’s just . . . weird. It isn’t like our wedding, for instance, which was An Event, and my family flew in to attend. At that one, Dave’s was outnumbered by my family, simply because I have a bigger one. But it was also OUR event, we were both there, you know? And he won’t be at the shower. I think it’s a great idea to have coed showers, don’t get me wrong, but we just don’t have the people to do it. Dave’s friends aren’t married or settled down, at ALL, (did you see the pic of the best man? Heh) and those that are, live elsewhere. We aren’t dinner-party people, we’ve had Matt & Sarah over um, once, and that’s it. Dave is pretty hermit-y, really, I’M the ‘social butterfly’ with a guest list of… four. 3 I’ve known for 10 years or longer, and one (Debbie) from the last 2 years.
I mean, I have my differences with my ILs, AS YOU KNOW. But I’m not so much of a bitch that I don’t recognize that it’s really kind of them to WANT to have a shower for me. My family will be popping up over the summer — my sister plans to come help out in May, first to work in my place over the busy season that I am due RIGHT SMACK DAB in the middle of (anyone want to do some freelance weekend photography? You get to play with a D70!), and then to help out postpartum with making meals and doing laundry and stuff. One of my aunt summers up here, and my cousins visit her throughout the summer. My GRANDMA is even talking about flying up this summer, which is HUGE, since Grandma does NOT fly. Apparently JetBlue goes from Austin to Boston direct, though, and she thinks she could do that, with my folks picking her up in Boston. More than that, GRANDPA might do it too, who is even MORE of a non-flier than grandma. Grandma did fly several years ago to visit her sister before she died, but grandpa? Nope. Ironically enough, he had his pilot’s license and a plane until the mid 80s, but commercially, he’s refused, and they’ve always driven up. The last time they were in Maine was in 2001. If they come up, my aunt & uncle would probably come too, and my cousin Eric might come up for the summer to work again, as he did a few years ago. So I’ll SEE my family once the baby is born, but this little party is just odd.
It does make me feel better knowing that other people have been in the situation of "it’s my shower, and it’s not MY family" (Mrs K, I’m looking at you!) and survived. I mean, at the very least there will be CAKE, right?
1. Never say, “Yey, I didn’t get anything with ears. . THANK GOD” until AFTER you have opened all of your gifts.
2. Do not confuse who attends this party with who loves you and who will love this baby.
3. Play at least ONE silly game, something to prime you for the endless amounts of silly games that you are about to play.
4. Have fun, regardless of who comes. It’s your party and yes, you can cry if you want to.
5. They will all go away, and we can hang out after and compare Biore stalactites.
it’s all good, Mama.
It’s all good.
Just breathe.
It will be fine, truly. Though you have done really well so far, the weird in-law and other periphery people-play is going to get worse once the due date comes closer. For real.
But, BUT…how’s this for presumption? I’m trying to work out how I can get up to Bangor for your shower.
I’m so not kidding.
Oh, yeah, there will be cake and whatever else you want to eat, since you’re the guest of honor…I made menu requests and everything was honored!
And the gifts…you will be thrilled and surprised with people’s generosity. Just enjoy the gifts…each gift is something you don’t need to spend your own money on!
What about holding off on the shower until the baby is there? Maybe have a baby welcome party over the summer. Or have both, I mean there is plenty a reason to celebrate here. My mom didn’t have a shower because her family believed it was bad luck to bring baby stuff into the house before the baby was born.
And kb, the girls can entertain each other in the car on the way up!