Collateral Damage

Despite my hopes and plans, my parents are not taking the kids this weekend. According to the message my dad left me, it’s because my mom has been a wreck over things between her and my sister. Which has nothing to do with the kids and I think they would be a much needed distraction, but nonetheless, my cousin will be baby-sitting the kids so Primero and I can go to the Nick Jonas/Demi Lovato concert Saturday night. My parents have only once baby-sat my kids and this makes me both profoundly sad and exceedingly angry. Was it all just a dream when I thought my parents were interested in being grandparents and spending time with their grandchildren? Or was that just reserved for biological grandchildren?

 

Fortunately, my cousin will watch the children before embarking on her vacation to Myrtle Beach and so crisis averted. Still, it gets old hustling, begging, pleading and hoping to find child care every now and again. I don’t think I ask for help that often. Certainly not as often as I hear my friends telling of their children being with grandparents. It makes me sad that my network isn’t more supportive but it also makes me wonder if I’m as supportive as my friends need me to be? I guess I could ask them.

 

My aunt and I are hosting a surprise birthday party for my mom this Sunday. According to my dad, my mom has been down right miserable this week because of the things that happened at the wedding. Things my sister said and did going back from the dress shopping and venue visiting right up to a few weeks ago. My mom, who has an inkling we are holding a party for her, told me she wouldn’t want my sister to be at any birthday party, that she would walk out if my sister were there. Well, guess who is coming to the party and was just tasked with providing the favors? That’s right, my sister. My sister who has no idea my mom has said she doesn’t want her there. Just like my mom had no idea my sister didn’t want her at the hotel the morning of the wedding. It’s tiresome, this whole debacle and it’s especially tedious when my kids become collateral damage. I plan on taking the kids to the party and if anyone makes mention of it I will be sure to let them know the difficulties I have in finding child care. And then my mom will have a whole new fight with a different daughter.