I'm getting really annoyed with DH's friends. Another couple just told him that they are knocked up. Now, in general, I have very little to do with them; however, because I am the wife, DH's friends (or their wives) think that I share their enthusiasm over the idea of their new little bundle of drool and feces.
He told me last night about the latest addition to the breeder club and I told him, "Oh, that's too bad. I hope they aren't expecting me to go to the baby shower." I mean, I am totally ok with sending a gift (like a giant box of condoms), but I find it completely unbearable to spend an afternoon around a bunch of cooing moos and listen to stories about why I "really need to have sprong because it makes your life complete".
God I hate baby showers.
Me too, I almost went to one and I'm glad I didn't, I've actually been invited to 3 recently. I have another friend who is childless and looking more CF everyday. She told me all the moos sat there comparing who had the most kids and what they were doing that's bragworthy. Then they asked her how many kids she had - like it wasn't possible someone could not have any.
Oh and what is with the nasty "candy bar in the diaper" GROSS.
I'm glad I managed to sit them all out. Guess there is a bright side to your car being out of commission. It made for a good excuse!
Thankfully the few showers that I have been to have NOT done the stupid candy bar in the diaper. Ewww.
The last one did a scrambled word game and that was it for games.
I tend to give a bag or basket with a book (hardcover nursery rhymes or fairy tales for the parents to read to the baby), a baby first aid kit (good reminder that it isn't Kodak moments), and something just for the mom like bath salts or lotion (so she can enjoy the gift too).
The last shower several of us also got the MTB some doggy treats and toys so her golden retriever would not feel left out. *To note, her dog is a very good dog and they introduced the baby into the "pack". The dog is now the early warning when the baby has a dirty diaper or is fussy. It is like having a fuzzy nanny. Then again, the woman is a good dog owner and looks to be a PNB (though slightly overprotective).
It's hard for me to imagine many activities that would be more painful than going to a baby shower. Well, OK, to be fair, there would be a FEW. But, still. ACK!!! I have never even been to one! My sisters both lived too far away, boohoo, I had to miss the showers. Thank dog I work in small places (no one giving birth!) and don't have close friends who have sprogged.
Now that I work in a much larger office I'm sure the day will come, although the vast majority of my coworkers are 50+. Not that that means anything nowadays...
I have actually tried to be good and go with DH to his friend's wedding, baby showers, etc, etc. But so far I have attended about 6 such events for his friends in the last year or so and haven't dragged him to any for my friends (mostly because none of my friends have been getting married or breeding). I had to tell him that my threshold for obnoxious events has been met and it will be a while before I am willing to attend any more.
The same goes for weekends with our nieces (5 year old twins) and nephew (2 years old). He volunteered us to take them for a full weekend (when I had a paper due for one of my classes). Then my SIL has the nerve to call and see if I would be willing to take thursday off from work, so she can have an extra day without the kids. The only good thing about having weekends with sprogs is that it reinforces my husband's opinion about not having kids.
I too loathe baby showers. Even the idea of a baby shower I find loathesome. I think they're just silly and a waste of time. I have always said that if I ever had decided to have a baby (in a parallel universe, certainly not this one), I would request that one not be made for me, and it had damnned well better be honored.
Personally I enjoy parties of any type, showers included. However, I did decline an invitation to one next month because I barely know the person and am having financial difficulties. I don't want to have to buy a gift when I can't afford my home repairs or cellphone bill.
Ugh! I actually got invited to a baby shower which was for both men and women. It was dreadful. Not only a blatant gift grab but boring as hell. The woman was a very good friend of mine from the internet but her family could not afford another kid and I went gritting my teeth. I do remember that my gift was bath salts for mom and nothing for baby. What was funny was how the men quietly slipped out of the room and were hanging out in the kitchen away from the lame games and drinking beer while the women were stuck having to play the lame games.
to kristin9924, I know where your coming from.
I too hate baby showers. But I was forced to attend the last one because the babies in question were related to me by marriage.
Twin great nieces
So I knew what was in store for me.
All the baby games, and all the baby chatter UGH! I just totally ignored everyone. I found a nice comfortable chair in another room, and I was happy being left alone!
There was enough people there that no one even bothered to ask me how I was anyway.
I informed a few people that I was dieting so a simple no thanks to a non diet drink was occassionally regaled my way.
But other then that, I stuck my nose in my book and did not come up for air till it was time to open gifts.
I had to stick around for that to get some pix for my hubby.
But, basically I made good headway into my book, and I found that when your reading people do not bother you as much as if your standing around doing nothing.
So, if your ever stuck having to go to the shower, take a good book with you. You will be glad you did.
Thanks for the advice. I work at a library, so I'm rarely at a loss for a good book to read.
I just don't go to them. Period.
Fortunately, I have not been bothered with any lately.
I do enjoy wedding showers. Those can be a lot of fun, and my experience has been that the focus is not on breeding, but simply on setting up a new household. To me, that's fun.
Jen M.
yeah, wedding showers can be fun. Especially when they are very casual. I'm not much of one for stuffy, formal events of any kind. Which is probably why DH and I got married at the court house then just threw a party at my parent's house afterwards. If I find weddings to be miserable, why would I subject my friends and family to one.
I've only ever been invited to one, and I was a child in grade school then so it was just another boring adult function rather than an affront to my sensibilities, which is what it would be like today. I hope I never have to go to one now as an adult, I don't think I'd ever stop throwing up.