The OTHER side (of the family)

Everyone loves to tell the pregnant couple that it's their last holiday alone. It's like they wish they could pipe in some doom and gloom music for emphasis when they disperse their "wisdom" to you. There was nothing unique to us about these holidays. In fact, they kind of sucked. My sister is deployed in Iraq; my brother passed on two years ago in an accident. So, it's just Mom, me and Granny this year. Oh, yeah, and ALL of my husband's family.

I've never really complained too much about J's family (he may disagree); my mother tells me that its just my pregnancy hormones right now (a nice, neutral comment from my mother). But, they are all driving me crazy. First, it was declared by the daughter in laws that J's family is a holiday hog. They ALL still live in the same area and they get together for every major and minor holiday known to man - and then some. They dominate the big ones - Thanksgiving day, Christmas eve, Christmas day and even the more minor ones - Easter, July 4th. They even try to monopolize Mother's Day. Who does that? And, that doesn't include the birthday lunches or other family crap you get sucked into - so and so is in town and everybody wants to get together. Basically, they do not share well. It's so hard to barter for holidays, because they have done this for YEARS. The thought of having a baby in the same city will all of these people gives me endless heartburn. I think of the countless events I'll have to attend and invite them to. It's so hard for us to have a party with just our friends - we have to tell them it's for "young people" so they understand.

Having been raised by an independent, single mother who lived two states away from her siblings and cousins, J's family are like Martians to me. It is SO tiring to be around them ALL of the time. They want to know all of your business. Heck, J's grandmother tells me that I am carrying her baby. Who knew it worked like that! With the baby coming in just a few months, I feel like I'm preparing for battle. I keep repeating to myself "they will not come over unannounced"; "I will not back down"; "next year, I'm going to see my family on the day of the actual holiday". I'm afraid I'm going to spew curse words that J's grandmother has never heard before. That, or enter into some type of Poltergeist moment where my head spins around. At this point, I'm leaning toward whichever one is more effective.

Anyway, all of this drama is distracting me from the fact that I'm having a baby! Maybe we should move....