Weekend Update

So I was wrong on the date for the Surprise Party, it wasn't last Friday but it is this Friday. It would've been better with HDiTty's work schedule if it had been last Friday but oh well, so be it.
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On Saturday I met my mom at her house just before 9am and we, my stepdad and his sister all piled into their truck to head up to Wisconsin for a 3hr trip. My mom and I were going to my 2nd cousin's bridal shower and dad and his sister went to see their sister-in-law. This is the type of shower I like, everyone there was family so I knew everyone and it was completely comfortable. Her father is my cousin and he lives down here in Illinois near my mom and me but all the rest of his family lives up in Wisconsin including his mom, the brides grandmother. Well she told the bride that she'd throw her a bridal shower but she'd have to go up there since it would be really hard to be able to get everyone from there down here.

My mom was talking to my aunt one day last week and found out about the shower and kind of invited herself and me saying if she were going to go to a shower she'd rather go to that one than one with a bunch of bridesmaids and other people she doesn't know. And she knew at least she if not both of us will be invited to that shower and I'd agree with her on this issue. So yeah, we went to this one which was just the bride, her grandma (my aunt), my aunt's 2 daughters, 1 daughter-in-law and 2 of her other granddaughters. Very small but perfect really.

It's weird to know she's old enough to be married and buying a house and everything considering I babysat her a few times when she was just a toddler. It just doesn't seem like that much time has passed. UGH!

Everything she received was for the kitchen and she was completely excited and happy about it. The whole time I'm seeing this I'm thinking on how ripped off my mom was. It took her 5 times to finally get a daughter and I couldn't care less about being in the kitchen. There is no way I'd be as excited as she was to get all those kitchen items. Growing up I never wanted to be in the kitchen unless it was Easter Egg decorating time or maybe baking some cookies. Otherwise keep me out of there. I told that to my mom on the way home and she said she thought something similar too. Not that she was ripped off but that she wished I had shown more interest in learning to cook. If for no other reason than for us to have the quality mother/daughter time that so many others get. But even without that we still have a wonderful relationship so we did ok anyway.
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On Sunday we went to HD's niece's 1yr birthday party. His sister had rented out the gym at a local church since she had invited over 40 people. It seemed to me excessive but then I'm used to my brothers only inviting the immediate family to their kids parties. At the most one brother invites their son's bestfriend's parents and only because they're good friends with them too. Otherwise it's only parents and us aunts and uncles and cousins of the one other brother who has kids. Now this sister has a different father than HD and has a whole other set of half brothers and sisters from her father. So they were of course invited, the father of the baby and his family was invited, her boyfriend and his family and a friend or two were invited, HD's mom's best friend, her daughter & granddaughter were invited and then a bunch of friends and coworkers were invited. Tons of people. Now I know this is a 1st birthday and all but still it seems excessive to me.

And as she's lighting the candles she said, "I have to do this every year?" in a joking way but you know that's what she's going to do. I wanted to say no, from now on just make it immediate family. Especially since she's not with the father, let him have his own party. Which by the way his family is doing. They're having one on the 19th. But no one from our side has been invited to it except for HD's sister. Seems kind of selfish that many of them came to this party but they're not willing to do the same and invite any of us to theirs. But whatever, I doubt we would've gone anyway.

His other sister gets me upset and I know I shouldn't but I can't help it. I went out and did the shopping and I did the wrapping. Now many times this is the way it goes, there are times that he comes with me, quite often actually but many times he doesn't. This was one of those cases. Anyway for some reason when it comes to gifts she leaves me out when answering people on who gave what. Both his sisters and his mom are huge White Sox fans. I got his niece an outfit that was black and white with stitching that made it look like the outfit is a baseball and it said Sox on the left side of the front. The panties were black with tan ruffles on the butt. I also got a pink zip up hoody that says Chicago across the front and Sox on the hood and also a pink baseball cap that says Sox on the front. The hat and jacket were the first two things she pulled out of the bag and everyone was oohing and awing over them and someone asked who they were from and sister who's baby it is said, "Katrina and HD." Then she pulled out the black and white outfit and more oohing and awing went on and someone asked again who it was that gave them and asked his other sister if it was her. Her response, "no not me, my brother." That's it, didn't even mention me. She does this all the friggen time even when she knows I was the only one who did the shopping and decision making of what to buy.

It drives me up the wall and makes me feel like shit. HD tries to make me feel better by saying that we've been together for so long that when she says "her brother" I'm included in that, that we're basically one person. But I'm sorry, I don't see it that way, never have never will. When someone asks me something similar it's always, "my brother and sister-in-law." They may have been together for years and years but they're still two separate people and deserve equal recognition. I know she loves me and appreciates me and all that, she's not doing it deliberately or maliciously in any way, but it still hurts. It doesn't matter that I know this logically because feelings don't always follow logic. Oh well, so be it.

Media quote of the day: The Dundies are kind of like a kid's birthday party, and you go, and there's really nothing for you to do there, but the kid's having a really good time, so you're kind of there? That's... that's kind of what it's like. - Oscar - The Office from The Dundies in season 2