Uh huh. His ski lessons coordinate with my sons - I also convinced two (not one! Two!) other families that do not know each other to sign their kids up at the same time. He was in charge of the carpool.

Ahhh, so right!

I’ve been reading through the other comments and wow! I find family feels more entitled with family - they don’t ask, they expect. So have your hub state clearly what the ground rules are. You don’t babysit your sister-in-law anymore, you have other responsibilities. I’d do role playing with him and talk through each…

Truth!!

Yeah, I’ve been reading through this whole post and gotta say that some rules need to be established. Having a baby allows you to redefine, see it as a fresh start!

Yeah you gotta set some boundaries with the fam. I really like a book called “Stop walking on eggshells” that talks about how to do that with thin skinned individuals 

I get motion sickness and on that day, it was standing room only with terrible conditions outside. Two hours of trying not to barf culminating with an unappreciative family on the other side was a++!

And I’ve never seen anyone appreciate it - it was always an expectation like you want to be in an airport or at a bus station over the holidays!

I’m sorry, I totally chuckled at the dog biting her and her accusing it of not loving her. I love this shitty Christmas story! Hope you have fun when you get to host.

My mother-in-law thought the same thing and I really resented it, honestly. She always wanted to think the best of her son but really wished he behaved entirely differently. She thought if she communicated how she wanted him to behave to me, I’d get him to do it. I told her that if she wanted something from her son,…

Forgot to add that I have small children who demand basically constant attention to keep from fatally injuring themselves (my toddler) or because they are already bored (my school aged child that makes me fear the teenage years ahead)

Wow, I want a pic!!

Right? I always tell my hub to deal with his family. I think there’s a whole power dynamic with in-laws. Of course you feel more comfortable with your sister - and of course you are left feeling awkward about dynamics with the sis-in-law. If she doesn’t have the trust of her bro (your hub), there shouldn’t be an…

Just chosen family! It’s all good, more annoying that the family chef is laid up and I had to go to fucking Walmart to find a turkey in the middle of holiday craziness.

It’s a great distraction!

This is fantastic, I totally agree.

Your baby isn’t going to like everyone. I find baby-radar is usually pretty solid. Usually non-baby people don’t want to hold your baby (or really even admire it) and when they do, they aren’t good at it. They have to have some personal desire to actually push through that and bond; most wont bother.

Good for you!! 

What’s a birds nest?

I went and bought cookies so I could limit my efforts. Tonight I put chocolate into moulds so that the kiddos can build houses on Xmas Eve. Tomorrow am planning in gingerbread cause I find storebought always tastes crappy.