This is topic Good news and irritiating, typical, what-is-wrong-with-my-family news in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Good news: I'm an aunt again! My brother's wife a seven pound, muumbmble ounce little boy. His name is William Alexander Pilkington, and is, by all reports, perfectly healthy. [Smile] Yay!

<a moment for rejoicing> [Smile]

------

In the irritating news: I found out this morning. The baby was born five days ago. They only called me because I called last night, and in thinking about it this morning, my dad thought it was weird I hadn't mentioned the baby at all. This entire thing is, sadly, not a surprise.
 
Posted by AntiCool (Member # 7386) on :
 
You have a 0_o family, kat.
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Congratulations!

And, um, yeah, I understand about the family. Same thing happens to me in mine. Only it's usually a few months later. [Grumble]
 
Posted by HesterGray (Member # 7384) on :
 
That sounds a lot like my family. First, in that my step-brother and his wife had their second baby on Saturday (little Jonathan Tyler!). And also being the last one to hear the latest family news.

Congratulations on the new nephew!
 
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
 
On the other hand, if this can help, having your pregnant sister calling every day to tell you how she feels about her nausees and her blood pressure and all the details, and be annoyed if you're not here or don't want to answer can be a pain in the bum too.
 
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
 
Congrats, kat. My family is pretty good about making timely announcements, but I have been waiting for my birthday present from my mom for...almost three months. She said she'd mail it today. I'm not holding my breath. Anyway, glad the baby's healthy. How many does this make?
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Their third child, first boy, and of my blood related siblings, this brother is the only one with children. If you count the step-siblings, William Alexander Pilkington (I'm going to call him Zoolander) is my dad and stepmother's tenth grandchild.
 
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
 
quote:
I'm going to call him Zoolander
Excellent choice. [ROFL]
 
Posted by fiazko (Member # 5812) on :
 
Do you count all ten? If so, I will officially not complain about six. And yeah, Zoolander is priceless.
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
quote:
I have been waiting for my birthday present from my mom for...almost three months. She said she'd mail it today. I'm not holding my breath.
Fiazko (cool name, by the way), back when I was still on speaking terms with my parents, I didn't even get so much as a verbal "Happy Birthday" for years at a time. Gifts, what are they? [Grumble]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Actually, that does make me feel a little bit better. Why do you think they do that?
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Constantly. My dad has remarried and I have two married brothers, and I wasn't invited to any of their weddings. The oldest brother has a good excuse (I was on my mission and would be for the next year), but the other two just didn't bother. I don't get it.

I'm trying to figure out what to do now. WHen my dad told me and it sunk in that they forgot about me AGAIN, I did start crying and got off the phone as soon as I could. Apparently my dad called my brother and gave him hell, because I just got a sheepish message on my voice mail from my brother. I don't want to talk to him until I've put myself back together, but it's all very confusing.

[ March 15, 2005, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Is it a guy thing, then - they are so used to women taking care of the kinkeeping that when it comes to kin of theirs that isn't kin to their wives they just forget?

And agreed about the other side of the family. My mother's sister (my mom died years ago) had a son get married in Hawaii, and it was so important to my aunt that I come that she paid my plane ticket and had me stay in the hotel with her so I could go. She still gushes about how wonderful it was that I was there.

When/if I get married, I can't imagine cherry picking among the immediate family. My baby brother, my dad, my grandpa, my two nieces, one SIL, and one step-nephew. There. I'm done! All the people I click with are there. It's just inconceivable to me, but that's exactly what my middle brother did.

[ March 15, 2005, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
 
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
 
kat, your family is just bizarre. I tend to be delinquent on some “social maintenance” type activities, but your brothers and father take the cake.
 
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
 
You're invited to our wedding Kat. [Smile]

Hobbes [Smile]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
*hugs* I'll be there, Hobbesy.

Thanks, Dana. I want you to know how sweet it was that you invited me to yours. I got the invitation in the mail, opened on the way up the stairs, and had burst into shocked and touched tears by the time I walked through the door. You can ask Taalcon, poor thing got to hear me being a girl. It really meant a lot to me. [Smile]
 
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
Kat,
When I was in the military, I got a letter from a casual acquaintance from the church back home which included the phrase, "We noticed that your sister is pregnant again. We hope the baby is healthy considering her recent miscarriage." That was the first I'd heard of either pregnancy.

Talk about O_o families. [Roll Eyes]

[ March 15, 2005, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: KarlEd ]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
What's funny is that my mom's best friend's daughter had a baby while my oldest brother was on his mission, and he was outraged that no one had told him. All I can think is that me knowing is just not that important to them.

KarlEd, your story does lend some doubt to the "it's because they are guys" theory.
 
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
 
I did not know you were a military man Karl - what branch/MOS?

My dad's side of the family is more than a little gossipy, nosy and generally involved.

My cousin remarked, "I know what you want for Christmas...a girlfriend!"

To which I grumbled, "if you can't manage my shirt size, I really don't want to see what you'd do for my social life, but thanks anyway."

Strangely enough, I haven't gotten the usual round of "when are you coming to another family function?" calls yet. [Big Grin]

-Trevor
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
I just talked to my brother. My dad was being generous - the kid was born last Tuesday. They are indeed calling him Xander, and the name Xoolander seemed to annoy my brother intensely, so I think we have a winner. *grin*
 
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
 
USAF, 1989-1995, Osan AFB, Korea (90-92), Ft Meade, MD (93-95).
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Oh, man, Katie, your family takes the cake. I thought my family was bad, but...

Are you doing anything this St. Patrick's day? (This Thurs.) You're welcome to come have a proper Irish dinner with us (I'm planning salmon and colcannon, with real soda bread), or even just stop by for leftovers the day after or whenever and pick up your Valentine's monkey. You left him here again. He's sitting on the table waiting for you.
 
Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :
 
((((Katie))))

You're the bestest older sister I could ever want to have.
 
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
 
Congrats, Auntie Kate!
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
My SIL sent me a bunch of pictures, which reconfirms that somehow, our family's genes came up with the prettiest little girls I have ever seen.

Susannah, Xoolander, and Katya
My brother and his three kids

[ March 15, 2005, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Awwwwww!!! So cute!!!
 
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
 
My mother got married in 1989 and told me several weeks later, and I never hear about births or deaths or anything in my family either.

My best source of information on my family is my former sister in law, who's been divorced from my brother for about 8 years. [Dont Know]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
[Dont Know] That just seems very weird to me. I don't get it.
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
That's very sad. [Frown]

In my family, we have a "designated" (but not really) contact. Everything seems to go through my aunt, for some reason. But at least we all get informed on a timely basis, and when things like babies happen, they usually get told directly and immediately. (I took a list of phone numbers to the hospital.) I just found out from her that my cousin is engaged, but I'm sure I will get an invite when the time comes.
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
We did too, and then she died. Seriously - my aunts, my grandparents, my brothers, random friends - everything went through my mom. There is quite a dramatic difference between the way things worked before and the way they worked afterward. It was most definitely not always like this.
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Maybe you should gently bring that up to someone at a time when there are no big life events imminent. Just, you know, that because things always used to go through her, you're not getting the news or feeling included anymore as you'd like to, and can you all work together on a solution? I think they might really be oblivious of the way you're not getting included, like, your brother assumes your dad will tell you, your dad assumes your brother will, etc.
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
Oh, I know how to handle it. I just need Hatrack for a place to do the unladylike fit-throwing.

[ March 15, 2005, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Ah, yes. Fit-throwing is important. [Smile]

Seriously, though, we still have your monkey over here. We either need to have you over or go to see you or do something together so your monkey can stop living on our table. [Razz]
 
Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
 
I know! I'm back in town, now. [Smile] I am busy every night this week, but maybe I can come by or we can all go to lunch this weekend?
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Jeff works all day Sat. [Frown] And we're having the missionaries for dinner Sun. Hmmm. Having just looked at Jeff's schedule, I realize he also works until 9 on Thurs. [Grumble] I hate this job of his. We're not going to get dinner until late unless Ems takes a very nice nap in the afternoon.

You're welcome to come by, though. And you can even stay for dinner if you come by Sunday; I'm sure the missionaries won't mind, and I'll be cooking massive amounts of food anyway. [Smile]

[ March 15, 2005, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: ketchupqueen ]
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
This is a great place for fit-throwing, and what with the way your family is behaving, it sounds only appropriate. [Wall Bash]
 


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