When Can the In-Laws Come Back - What to Do With Family

Okay, I'm here to say that when I posted about a month ago under this board "What to do with my in-laws when they come" I did not have any children. Now that I have little three week old LucBug, I'm coming back to say what a help the family has been.

My DH's parents came first. They came around Day 7 and stayed for 4 days. My folks came for a week and a half after that which was a godsend. It was so good to have them here because I was going through the baby blues at that point.

Some things I would pass on and second what some posters replied to me is to give them jobs. Basically we asked our folks to cook and clean (waiting on us - so nice, but now we have 2 weeks worht of food in the freezer). With my IL's we also gave them little projects - putting baby things together, setting up Lucy's art gallery (she got a ton of art as presents), stamping the announcement envelopes and stuffing them. My MIL's need to control and go into crisis mode whenever anything goes the slightest bit wrong was present, but something in me really was able to deal with it with a sense of humor and not freak out about it and just say. Lucy is our daughter and whatever parenting MIL did to DH is what she did and NOT what we are going to do. Regardless, it was great to see the grandparents faces when they first saw Lucy.

We are so thankful that Lucy has a supportive family. I do however, already miss my Mom! I hope Lucy feels that way when she is 34.

Ellen
Mamma to Lucy 2/27/03