Crazy eh?

I knew I wasn't crazy. No where near it.

Out of the great fun of party day, there were those moments that remind me that I'm not surrounded by my parents or my sisters.

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After letting the entire IL clan into my home, I walked straight back to the kitchen/family room. They dumped their things all over the place (the bar area, the floor, wherever). There were a few parents (of the Princess friends) in the room.

MIL: "Where do we put the presents?"

I had set up a 'present' table at the end of the couch. As you walk back to the kitchen/family room, you would walk right into it if you continued on a straight line. I mean, you could see the table from the front door. It had about 6 gifts already on it.

SIL: "I guess right here." [she pointed to the table]

I went into the kitchen to continue working away on getting stuff out for people to eat.

MIL: "Well, let's introduce ourselves!"

She said it so loud. Her statement seemed to overpower the room and gain the attention of everyone (the parents who were chatting together) in the midst of conversation. It seemed to me that she seemed to be insinuating to me that I was rude for not introducing them (Hubs' clan) to the people who were in the room. After she said that I looked up from what I was doing. My BILs fiance was looking at me. I looked at her and smiled and shrugged.

To me? When I go into a social gathering at someone else's home, I don't expect to be led around and introduced to everyone. Especially if I've been to someone's home before. I do that on my own. I work the room. I chat with people individually. I don't go in and basically announce my entrance.

How about you?

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I was going outside when I noticed something next to the backdoor. A pair of house slippers. Ones that weren't mine. That's right folks. My MIL once again brought her slippers to my house. Granted we've got tile floor throughout our first floor which might be an issue for people with sensitive feet or legs. But she also has tile throughout her house. Is she making a statement that she thinks our floors are not clean enough for her pasty white feet? What IS she trying to say? If anything...

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When the pizza was delivered, I called everyone to eat. We had the pizzas and sandwiches out along with the fruit and chips. I attended to the kids and the kids' parents. The family had to fend for themselves. I turned around at one point to check on the pizza situation.

MIL: "Son (speaking to the Hubs)? Do you want this?" [she had two slices of supreme pizza on a plate]

Hubs: "No thanks. What're you doing with that?"

MIL: "I thought your brother would want it but he doesn't."

I turn to where my BIL is sitting and he's got two slices of sausage pizza. Now why did she get those pieces of pizza for my BIL? It's not like my BIL is a child who needs help getting his food.

By the time I got around to getting a plate for myself (after I made sure everyone had food), there was no supreme pizza left. I know that she didn't eat the pizza because a supreme has onions on it and she detests onions. I know my FIL didn't eat them because he's lactose intolerant. Plus, I saw him chowing on a sandwich. So, what did she end up doing with those two pieces?

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Around 1:15pm, my BIL told his family they had to leave (he had to meet a realtor at his house at 3pm). They all got up to get their things. My BIL ducked into the powder room for one last visit before the 1-1/2 hour drive home. There were hugs and kisses all around from both kidlings. My FIL went outside. My MIL was at the front door and looked around.

MIL: "Where is my son (my BIL - of course she used his name here)?"

BIL's fiance: "Oh, he went to the bathroom."

MIL: "What's taking him so long?"

Then she turns in my direction.

MIL: "I mean, you have three bathrooms don't you?"

First of all? I'm not my BILs keeper. Secondly. I'm not going to deny anyone who is smart to use the bathroom before they take a long drive. Thirdly. Who knows what kind of business (number 1 or number 2) he was doing in the bathroom. Fourthly. What does the number of bathrooms have to do with the amount of time he's taking IN the bathroom? It's not like there were a ton of people still at the house. There was one neighbor gal and about 4 kids.

Of course, I ignored her statement. I glanced over to my BILs fiance and smiled. And then walked away. Just in time to walk by my BIL who had just finished up whatever business he had in the powder room. I gave him a hug.

Me to BIL: "Thanks for coming. Have a safe trip home."

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Now some might say this is a total bitch session by me. But I am not the only one who was witness to her not-so-pleasant attitude. One of my neighbors (she's Filipino - I'll reference her as FN from now on) talked to me after Hubs' clan left (once my BIL made it out of the powder room - ha!). FN was witness to the Hubs clan exit from our home. She saw and heard my MIL in the situation listed above.

FN stated that when Hubs clan walked into the family room she got her first glimpse of my BIL.

FN: "Wow, you look just like the Hubs!"

MIL: "No he doesn't!"

FN was surprised by this. Especially since it wasn't coming from my BIL. The person who she was speaking to. Just then my Neighbor Across the Street (NATS) came in. He glances over at Hubs clan.

NATS: "You and the Hubs really look alike!"

Of course, FN was giggling inside by this. Both she and NATS said basically the same thing upon seeing my BIL for the first time. It was their first time meeting all of the Hubs family. My MIL went on to say that it is known that the Hubs looks like her and my BIL looks like my FIL.

Okey-dokey. FN said that I was really nice to my MIL. Based upon the behavior and comments my MIL made upon their first meeting, FN doesn't have the best impression of my MIL.

FN: "Dang! I know if anyone in my husband's family acted that way they would not be welcome in my house. EVER."

Let me say that FN did ban her husband's sister from her home for about 9 months after a major disagreement. The two have long since made up - as her husband's sister lives 2 houses down from her in our subdivision.

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I know there are a lot of you who have terrific ILs. Sis#2 has fantastic ILs. I love Sis#2's ILs. The entire clan. My BILs entire family includes my folks, LilSis, me, the Hubs, and the kidlings in all their gatherings. We're a part of them. Being around Sis#2s ILs is like being around my folks and my siblings. It's fantastic. Seriously.

I had wished my relationship with the Hubs family would develop the same way. But it hasn't. I can't put myself out on a limb anymore. I'm tired of being ignored when I speak. I'm tired of the snappy remarks. I try hard to ignore everything. To let it slip away and not bother me. But it does.

My MILs behavior chips away any hope of a great relationship. Every time she acts like she is prone to I take another step away. But I can't back away too much. She's the grandmother to my children. I never speak ill of her in front of the kidlings. Her personality might grate on nerves but I try to put up a good front. For my children.

That's what being a parent is about, right? Teaching our children to deal with other people. To be respectful. To duke it out with silence instead of yelling. To be good people.

But I just know that I'm not crazy. She is. Na-ne-na-ne-na-na! he-he-he-he....