My husband and I are expecting our first baby, and while I should be soaking in the excitement, I’ve spent most of my pregnancy dealing with one person—my mother-in-law, who insists on calling our unborn child “her baby.”
It started with her demanding to host my baby shower—with only her friends invited. Annoying, but I went along with it. We gave her our baby registry, thinking she just wanted to be helpful.
But then came the shock. At the baby shower, she unveiled a massive, custom-made castle crib—complete with a chandelier and a sign that read “Welcome to Grandma’s Kingdom.” She looked so proud. I felt like my throat was closing.
I tried to stay calm until she said, “I thought it would be perfect for my baby.”
That was it.
I snapped and reminded her whose baby this really was. The room fell silent. My husband backed me up, gently telling her we already had our own nursery. But the damage was done—and I wasn’t the only one stunned. Her friend called me ungrateful. I kept my cool, but inside, I was boiling.
At home, my husband tried to reassure me, saying his mom was just “excited.” But her obsession didn’t stop. A few weeks later, she called to apologize and then offered to help paint the nursery. I reluctantly agreed—hoping things would be different.
And at first, they were… until she casually announced: “I signed up for a parenting class—so I’m ready when I babysit full-time for the first month.”
No discussion. No permission. Just her plan.
My husband and I exchanged a look—we knew this wasn’t over.