I did not expect nor really want a baby shower. Let me make that perfectly clear. Suddenly, my mother and grandmother were having quite a little tiff over who would throw it for me. To make a long story short, if there was to be a shower, it was to be thrown by my mother, period.

So for the past 2 months we’ve had a couple of issues with when and where it would be thrown. See, my idea of the perfect “shower” is where I am not the center of anything. Where people can come over to a BBQ in my backyard, hang out, bring gifts if they’d like, bring their kids, their husbands, their grandmas, whatever. Inexpensive and informal. My mom, on the other hand, her shower included spending $300 on a restaurant banquet room & catering, “stare at the lady opening the gifts,” etc.

Since I never wanted a baby shower to begin with, I didn’t fight back for anything other than it must be a couples shower – I’m not dealing with these people by myself, Eric has to be miserable with me. I’m resigned to the fact that this shower is for her and my grandmother. I’m inviting exactly one person. Between she and grandma, they’re inviting many family members I haven’t seen in years (and don’t necessarily want to see) and co-workers.

Today, dad asked me if I thought the shower thing was going to happen. I said I doubted it but I wasn’t planning on saying anything since mom was so busy she’d probably forget anyway. I’d rather not have the shower to begin with, and instead have that money spent on things we actually need as opposed to a party, food and gifts for people I don’t even like. He agreed and said he’d rather just give me the money for things I needed anyway.

Unfortunately, he didn’t listen to the part about “I wasn’t planning on saying anything” because the minute mom came around, he said, “We were talking about that shower you were going to throw and decided not to do it.” My poor mom. She looked terribly disappointed and whined out a, “Whyyyyyyy?” I tried to explain (while trying not to shoot huge knives out of my eyes into dad’s head) why I wasn’t so keen on the shower – the cost, the relatives, the fact that Eric’s friends probably wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing their kids, etc.

She gave me a look like a puppy that had just been kicked when all it wanted was a hug and said, “I just want to do what’ll make you happy. I don’t want you to feel bad that you won’t have a shower.”
“I won’t feel bad, I didn’t really want a shower, anyway.”
Big, teary eyes here, “Oh…”
“But, why don’t you call the place and find out the cost. Maybe we can do it a little cheaper, okay?”
“*sniff* Okay.”

I believe I just got a taste of what it’s going to be like when I tell Ben that, although I appreciate him bringing me a frog for my birthday, we need to send him back to his home…and then we’ll end up with a pet frog.