i don't understand some people Mel - that need to be recognised for every small gesture - the self-importance - it just makes no sense to me! obviously the situation with a still born would, in my eyes, negate any requirement for recognition of flowers - that's just petty!

i would love to be able to keep the Gremlin from all of DH's family (and a lot of mine to be honest) - they're just selfish inconsiderate prats. unfortunately, when you grow up in a small town (less than 6000 people) move to an even smaller town (less than 1000), and both you and your DH have grown up locally, it's to be expected that the bulk of your extended family is local as well - and as such, unless we travel to Melbourne to do the grocery shopping, we're bound to run into them when out and about.

DH's sister will make a big song and dance about being excluded from the new family members life - when DH's brother passed 10 days after our engagement, she turned up after not acknowledging DH or his brother for 6 years - and gave us an engagement present. weird woman! DH has made his intentions clear - if anything arrives for the Gremlin from anyone other than his god-daughters (he still loves them dearly) it will be returned unopened. we've had several years of either being ignored or treated like crap - that won't change simply because we have a baby.

i love so much that my man is someone of such integrity - even though i know how much it pains him to essentially have no family, he stands up for himself and refuses to take their crap. plus, as he said, marrying me he got the best of both worlds - the wife he wanted, and a brother he is very close to (and a SIL we're both fantastic friends with!)