Graduations, hand washing, and a question...
Graduations... 
My younger cousin Lady Bug graduated as Valedictorian of her class last night. She is a very sweet and intelligent young lady. She is, however, socially inept. With only eight tickets to give to her family she made some grievous errors. Of course, one could ask where her parents were in this whole fiasco, but alas, her social ineptitude was inherited honestly.
Boo the Nephew is also "graduating" tonight. Why the quotation marks you ask? Oh, that is because I highly quesion that it is a diploma he will be receiving. More likely along the lines of Certificate of Attendance. I have already shelled out graduation gifts to another niece (sibling of Boo) and nephew (cousin of Boo) who neither graduated nor thanked Linc and I last year. I have sworn not to gift Boo until I see a diploma. It is a fine line I walk, I know.
Hand washing...
My mother, the queen of 'pity me', was slighted by Lady Bug (the ticket thing, see?) and has told me on the phone this morning that she has washed her hands of that side of the family (she found a ticket elsewhere but they did not save her a seat). I sincerely doubt it but it does lead me to wonder when enough is enough when it comes to your family. How much do you have to tolerate? When can you just start ignoring and advoiding?
As for the question...
Maili's successful request for songs gave me the idea to do the same to you for shower ideas. My friend Q is pregnant with her second child. I, being raised in the deep south, do not condone
second child showers. Many agree and disagree and the subject has been debated two-fold at work. Needless to say Q is preggers with number 2, wants a shower, and being the true and loyal friend that I am will give her what she wants. We have agreed that a celebration rather than a traditional shower would be more appropriate. The question is, what could we do? I had a friend who did a jewelry party for her third child and everyone ordered her a piece of jewelry while laughing a lot and eating even more. What kind of activities or theme party could we do?
Thanks for the help and the continuing debate of should you have a shower (with/by the same people) for your second, third or even fourth child is always welcome!
...Fiona...
My younger cousin Lady Bug graduated as Valedictorian of her class last night. She is a very sweet and intelligent young lady. She is, however, socially inept. With only eight tickets to give to her family she made some grievous errors. Of course, one could ask where her parents were in this whole fiasco, but alas, her social ineptitude was inherited honestly.
Boo the Nephew is also "graduating" tonight. Why the quotation marks you ask? Oh, that is because I highly quesion that it is a diploma he will be receiving. More likely along the lines of Certificate of Attendance. I have already shelled out graduation gifts to another niece (sibling of Boo) and nephew (cousin of Boo) who neither graduated nor thanked Linc and I last year. I have sworn not to gift Boo until I see a diploma. It is a fine line I walk, I know.
Hand washing...
My mother, the queen of 'pity me', was slighted by Lady Bug (the ticket thing, see?) and has told me on the phone this morning that she has washed her hands of that side of the family (she found a ticket elsewhere but they did not save her a seat). I sincerely doubt it but it does lead me to wonder when enough is enough when it comes to your family. How much do you have to tolerate? When can you just start ignoring and advoiding?
As for the question...
Maili's successful request for songs gave me the idea to do the same to you for shower ideas. My friend Q is pregnant with her second child. I, being raised in the deep south, do not condone
second child showers. Many agree and disagree and the subject has been debated two-fold at work. Needless to say Q is preggers with number 2, wants a shower, and being the true and loyal friend that I am will give her what she wants. We have agreed that a celebration rather than a traditional shower would be more appropriate. The question is, what could we do? I had a friend who did a jewelry party for her third child and everyone ordered her a piece of jewelry while laughing a lot and eating even more. What kind of activities or theme party could we do?Thanks for the help and the continuing debate of should you have a shower (with/by the same people) for your second, third or even fourth child is always welcome!
...Fiona...
Posted by Kerri Wall at 8:23 AM
9 touched me
I got nothin' to suggest--except that of course I AGREE with you about second showers. I'm not from the South, but I think second showers are gratuitously demanding.
And family can really stink sometimes.
Family...can't live with them, can't live without them (or can you?) LOL
Yeah! Another tally on the score board!
...Fi
All that she wants is another baby by Ace of Base....I think that's what it's called. Swedish pop from early 90's! I didn't really appreciate it when they used to play it at aquarobics when I hadn't even pushed the first one out!!
Washing your hands of family? Can be done, but you need a really compelling reason to do it. Tickets just doesn't quite get there for me.
But, having "washed my hands", there's this little problam of having other family members come in and ask you to play in the mud, for family honor and friendship and stuff. It's not such a simple line.
Second baby showers? Ummm. Although I have three kids, I can't honestly weigh in here--I hate baby showers as a rule. But a party wouldn't be amiss.
Yeah, my sister hit up her GFs for a shower for her 2nd baby- the oh so adorable Wills. However, I attended under duress & really didn't want to cough up another gift. Showers for subsequent sibs are tacky. If kids are 'too expensive' than stop at one.
As to family, I agree with Suisan. Cutting people off is possible, to a certain extent, but one needs a very good reason (graduation tickets isn't one for me). You can always send a card w/o a gift & call with your regrets that you can't attend. However, indoing so you must be prepared for the fallout from your decisions.
Since I am the 'Evil SIL from Hell' according to my Out Laws- I know all the tricks in the book short of actually cutting people off.
I think in general I don't have problems with a second-baby shower. Especially if the mom inadvertantly threw out all the baby stuff from the first go 'round (like my cousin, who found out she was pregnant 7 days after she threw everything out.) Though I suppose you could also just say, 'that's your fault for being dumb - I'm not rebuying anything.' If anything I would stick to clothes and/or diapers for a second-baby shower. No more baby hardware.
Thanks Marg, I've had that song in my head all day! Aaahhhhh!
Suisan, this side of the family we are talking about is my mother's in-laws. My mother lives across the street from her mother-in-law. Every Sunday they all go to church together and then come to either my mother or grandmother's house and eat lunch...all 13 of them (15 if Linc and I show up). So is she serious? Haha, doubtful. I was mainly dreaming of how nice it would be to drop the veil of family obligations. Would make holidays very lonely though.
Suisan, Amanda, Jay...adding your tallies to the board.
I have family issues as well (don't we all??). I say I'm washing my hands of them on a daily basis, but I always cave later. Family first, blood is thicker than water and all that. *sigh*
As for the showers, I've had 2 children and had a shower for both, though I strongly protested the second. I didn't feel it was necessary, but my aunt, who has four children, said it was, so she handled it. I'm thinking that was because she had four kids and expected me to throw her a shower each time, but what do I know, right?
I think a party sounds nice.
A party it will be!
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