Why the roar?

Yes, we celebrated National Day. It's not the Lion's Roar, but my roar of frustration.

A draft had been sitting in the list of posts since 24 Jul 07. Title was meant to be MIL.

I am frustrated that I have to keep within myself when she makes comments about this and that. I understand that she is kept busy with taking care of FIL and hence, she can't contribute help as much as my mum and grandma.

It all started in the early days of wedding preparation. The MIL is supposed to buy kitchen utensils such as wok, plates, bowls, chopsticks.....aiya a whole lot of other things. MIL said she was not familiar with all these and so my side took care of buying these things and just claimed money from her.

As a form of respect, we wanted to seek her opinion/'approval' on certain customary matters. Her answer would be 'I don't know all these.' So we would follow with what was the norm. Never mind.

Along came Eunice, my mum and ah ma helped with the confinement. They helped to prepare for baby's arrival.

Do you know why babies use beansprout pillow? MIL doesn't know. Do you know why 'confined' mothers drink the brown rice tea? She doesn't know. The list can go on....

So you see....she doesn't know alot of things. Never mind.

YET when she visits, she is a live commentary. She would stand behind us and watch us bathe Eunice. 'Use hanky to clean her face first', 'wipe the hair dry', 'wash her hands with clean water' etc while we were trying to bathe a squirmy baby. Come on, we had been bathing her since she was born lor.......and isn't she doing well?

This is just one of the many frustrating examples.

Now I just 'uhm' to what she says. Don't want to say much lest I trigger off another cycle of comments.