Issues Down Below

Thank you all for your comments. I answered the questions about my size/belly in the comment section of my last post--hope the info is helpful!

So, today I've just had that ain't doin' right feeling in the gastronintestinal area. This is some major TMI, so click away if you need to. Basically, I thought I was getting hemorroids a few weeks ago due to some bleeding, but it went away after 2 days. Today it was back with a vengeance, as I put on my very own version of Terrance and Phillip's Arses of Fire (I admit to loving S.outh Park, even though I once thought I was above the crude bits.) I actually blew blood out of my behind as a result of some excessive gassiness. My reaction was one mixed with horror and hysterical laughter. Luckily I was in the loo at the time so there was no mess to clean up. Could have been much worse as I am wearing white linen pants today! Overall, my bowel movements have become, shall we say, much looser, combined with a teeny bit of cramping, so I'm concerned that this is a sign of my body starting to consider preterm labour. My next appointment isn't until next Friday, and boy do I wish I had a cervix check between now and then.

Anyhow, on to a different type of crappy situation. (Gosh, I'm usually much more refined than this.) My in-laws. So here's what went down. It was everyone's understanding that when they came down for my shower a few weeks ago, that would be the last we saw of them until the boys were born. Well, two weeks ago MIL called H and proposed that they come down Easter weekend to cook us dinner on Saturday (why not the actual holiday on Sunday, I don't know.) H felt that the right thing to do would be to accept his mother's kind offer since we would not be able to attend my family's Easter festivities (too far away). It all seemed innocent. H suggested that we invite my parents as well since this would take place on Saturday, and we'd have a nice family Easter dinner afterall. I was a little uncertain about having guests at this point, but figured it couldn't hurt if they were going to do all the cooking.

Wwell, H's mom then asked that we supply the main course, such as a ham, duck, or lamb, and she would provide all the sides. Hmm. This deal was starting to look less appealing. If H and I had wanted to put on a big course, we would have suggested it. But we didn't. Still, H said okay, we'd figure out the main course of the meal and MIL would do the rest. Well, we couldn't have ham because of my excessive swelling and my parents aren't really duck/lamb kinda people. So the more we talked about it, the more frustrated we became. This was exactly what we didn't want--we had planned to spend Easter alone, not worrying about planning some family dinner. We considered ordering from Bosto.n Market for a moment, then got irritated that the in-laws could do that just as easily as we could-- so why didn't they? Then, MIL told H that it would be easier for him to provide the sides and they would just bring a dessert. What had started out as an offer to feed us turned into us cooking for them, like we always do.

As we talked about this over the next few days, H came down with a bad cold and was out of commission all weekend. Which meant nothing on our still large to-do list for the babies got done. H acknowledged that he simply did not have time to be planning a meal the following weekend when he'd have to catch up on his work. We questioned whther we really even had time for overnight guests, especially knowing that the in-laws would not pitch in while they were here and would only create a messy house for us to clean up after they left. I was starting to get very cranky about it. Still, H didn't feel we could tell them not to come since it was Easter.

Meanwhile, my parents had initially resisted our invitation because they did not want to impose two more people on us. Still, H was adamant that if his parents were coming, they should come too, and I agreed. There's a longer story here, but I'll save that for later. Basically, my parents were annoyed that the in-laws basically invited themselves, while they themselves had been planning to bring dinner to us or take us out. They were not going to treat the in-laws though. (They really don't like them based on oh-so-many things.

Finally, H and I decided that we would do a pot roast in our slow cooker, because it would be quick to prepare and would feed everyone without creating a big mess to clean up. When MIL heard this, she was quick to express her disappointment that we weren't having something "more substantial." She then told H that she was hoping he would make something that she and FIL could take home as leftovers the next day. W....T...F.....?!?!?!? If anything, wouldn't you want to leave your son and pregnant wife the leftovers when he is doing everything around the house while I'm pretty much out of commission? What is wrong with these people???

H made it clear to his mom that we were having a small, casual dinner, nothing more. He told them what time to come in the afternoon, and when MIL said that they might arrive early in the morning, he told them that would be fine because he would have plenty of work them to do around the house. (I'm betting they'll be late for dinner, now!)

Meanwhile, my mom had told us she was going to make a homemade cake (not carrot!) for the dinner, and when H told MIL as much, she questioned whether she needed to bring anything at all. Nice huh? Well, H put her in charge of salad and an extra dessert. We'll see if she brings it. MIL also questioned why my parents would be coming over and was surprised we weren't going to their house for dinner the next day. Um, hello--we explained that I could not travel 90 minutes by car anymore last month. H told her that were were probably not even going to church the next day because my mornings have been pretty rough. I'm hoping she's getting the point that we're not really up for their visit right now.

This whole thing is like the shower, when MIL said she wanted to host one at my house and then told my mom that there was nothing she could do to contribute when it became a joint shower. So, she got credit for being a co-host while my mom did all the work, with help from H and my dad. MIL didn't even show up to the shower until a half hour before it started, once everything was already set up. She had promised to get there 3 hours early and didn't. Now she's got an Easter dinner planned for her and FIL without her having to do anything but show up.

Ugh.