For as much as her visit was OK the last time this time made up for all the stupid crap she could've pulled. It initially started off because her husband Mike is HUGE U of M football fan and their QB was doing a signing thing at Woodland Mall so we thought that it would be a nice thing for him to go to. I didn't think that it was going to be as busy as it was but OH MAN! There was HUGE wait for it. but... that's not where the shenanigans started.
She really wanted to go to HopCat because Mike had never been, which is great because we love HopCat! We did warn her ahead of time though when she suggested it that it could be a little crazy downtown because it was St. Patty's weekend, and depending on when people wanted to start their festivities it could be busy or not. Well, it turns out they started their drinking Friday night! They had this huge tent thing that blocked off the entire block that HopCat was on, and the restaurant wasn't even letting people go in who where under 21, so no kiddos. When we found that out we called her right away and she had already paid some obscene amount of money for parking that was really far away and was walking there. She didn't want to go back to her car so she kept trying to find places to eat... even though it was hella busy and there were a bunch of drunk people walking around already. She finally did find a place, so we parked and met up with her. I don't think I would've been so annoyed other than it was just the novelty and idea of eating downtown. She thinks GR is a bustling metropolis and she thinks she's a city girl... so she really wanted to eat downtown. Even though we suggested lot less busy places closer to the mall on 28th that had actual parking she didn't want to do it.
Then, we got to the restaurant... and I know that it's one of those moments where you just see somebody and you think, "I wonder if she broke all the mirrors in her house..." because what the F was she thinking with that haircut?! And basically her outfit, but that's just being petty... haha. When I see that woman's hair I just wanna strangle her for some reason... it doesn't make sense. Mop top is the only thing I can come up with... oh well, moving on.
It was a bit hard to know what to get the kids because it was a bar we ended up in, and the overflow from the big party downtown was heading into this place, so it wasn't a nice place for the kids. It was fairly loud and the food they had was good, but it wasn't something I would normally think of feeding the kids. They did all right though all things considered.
So next we went to the mall for the signing and it was a zoo there. The plan was to take the kids to the play area while Mike got this guys autograph, but when we got there he decided that he didn't want to do it. Which, honestly, was the main reason to have them visit... because you better believe it wasn't to see her... So, the play area was fairly busy too because of all the extra people and she said that she would help watch the kids while they played but of course that didn't happen. She wonders why we won't leave our kids with her but anytime we give her the remote chance of doing so she doesn't do it! She said she was watching Lucy (and I was too because I know how she is) but she got distracted by who knows what, like so much that Lucy was heading out of the play area into the busy mall and she didn't even know that she was gone. You know it's bad when a big ole fatty preggo can get up and get to her before you even realize what's going on. And, it's just dangerous. Seriously?! You can't just focus for long enough to make sure that your grandchild isn't running off into a crowd of strangers? RIDICULOUS.
After that Tristan wanted to go to Barnes and Noble to read books to her, and so we started walking there and once he started getting the books he wanted to read to her she was gone again. Distracted by who knows what but she left him by himself (had I not been watching from a distance). Seriously?! You can't just stay with your grandson while he picks out books he wants to read to you because you are so ADD that you saw something shiny and left him? I just couldn't believe it.
Well, those were minor things compared to the things that actually annoyed me. So had the audacity to throw a fit about not being invited to the hospital. Initially we thought it was going to be on a weekday so we figured everybody would have to work... and really, we didn't want her there. She causes more stress than it's worth and we are honestly trying to distance ourselves. So, then she made some pouty comment about how she wasn't allowed to come to the ultrasound and now the hospital, and if we were going to let her do anything. Really? Are we 10 years old and throwing fits now? Basically I ended up telling her that the ultrasound was a last minute thing because they had a cancellation and it was easier with the kids to not drive back and forth with them. And as for the hospital... I thought that Gaetan would like the one on one time with Norah before heading back to the craziness that will be our lives. I told her that she needed to stop being selfish and realize that this birth isn't about her... at all. In fact, she is the last person that we even consider when making decisions because ultimately it is about what is best for my family and she needs to realize that. Then, she apologized and said she forgot what it was like having small children while Gaetan was in school and all the planning that goes into that. Well, lets be real. 1.) The reason why we don't want you at the hospital is because you drive us bats shit crazy and I thought that these other reasons sounded nicer. 2.) It's not like you ever remember what it's like having small children because you never were home or you always sent them away, so don't pull that shit with me. 3.) You just want to be able to tell people that you got to hold her first and this is all about how people are perceiving you as Grandma. So, at least I think she got the hint about not coming to the hospital and is trying to not be such a baby about it.
Here's my favorite part of the whole trip. She asked us if we were Jehovah's Witnesses... that's right. I wanted to respond with, "We're as much Jehovah's Witnesses as you are Catholic..." but I didn't think that would've been very polite. Her reasoning was because we don't celebrate Christmas and Easter 'like we should.' What the fuck does that mean? Oh, you mean we don't deck our house out in Santa shit and tell the kids there's an Easter Bunny? You mean that? Forgive me, but I thought that Christmas and Easter were about so much more... what a fool of a tuuk I am! She said that we don't do birthday right either... that we don't make a big enough deal about them. ::rolling eyes:: We aren't the sort of people who need reasons or occasions to celebrate or do something fun. Like, if she wants to get you something but there isn't a reason for it she'll tell you its an early birthday or Christmas present and then not get you anything later, which is fine. But, how about you just say, "I saw this and thought you would really like it." Ya know? Sounds more sincere... We tried to explain to her that we like to celebrate life daily and not because somebody wanted to put it on the calendar. So, if we wanna go out to eat on a Wednesday, then we're gonna do it. Why? Because it's a Wednesday and we like spending time together. She just couldn't understand that. In fact, she was getting pretty mad about it.
Basically, its come down to this. She is going to get to see Norah but after that we are going to take a serious break from her. I"m sure it will hurt her feelings, but I have to protect my family. I overheard Dude telling Lucy that Oma wasn't good and that she was a whiner and we shouldn't listen to anything she says... and when your 3 year old picks that up, as a parent you have to pay attention. She says that she misses us, but its hard to miss something you've never really had or been around to want. This new idea of wanting to spend time with us is new, because before she very much didn't want to. She very much just wanted to toss a few gifts at us and hang out with us as minimally as possible to seem polite... and I know that she doesn't actually want to spend time with us, but it's the idea of it. Which is why when she's here she gets distracted so easily because she's not invested in being here, with us in the present.
I feel sorry for my family that I've exposed them to this for so long, but it has to stop. And it will. It's to bad that it has to be this way, but, it is what it is and this Momma won't stand for it anymore.
JVG
No comments:
Post a Comment