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Abstract
’t wrong.</p><p id="5b28">It was an embarrassment. The worst part of it all was that I suspected something like this might happen. I was trying desperately to hold my temper. My future husband finally lost it after attempting to be patient the entire time. He took his sister outside and proceeded to yell at her.</p><p id="2409">The party was over. No one was in any mood to continue — especially me.</p><p id="db31">I just stood there, incredulous. My future mother-in-law was crying. She had put so much work into cooking and decorating. I didn’t want to add to her despair by breaking down myself. My guests hugged me and tried to console me the best they could, while also trying to recover from the shock of what had just happened.</p><blockquote id="fd34"><p>Looking back, almost thirteen years later — I <b>should</b> have broken down. I <b>should</b> have walked that spoiled brat right out of my baby shower. It <b>was</b> bullshit.</p></blockquote><p id="fc95">I didn’t realize it at the time, but that baby shower could have been a meaningful experience for me. Now that I’ve attended numerous baby showers since my daughter was born, I see that they are events meant to make the new mom-to-be feel special and doted on — to <i>shower</i> her with gifts and encouragement.</p><p id="e197">Instead, I let a raging bully upstage my special day.</p><p id="91b8">These days, my now sister-in-law doesn’t speak to my husband and me, and vice versa. The baby shower episode was just one of many unpleasant interactions we had to experience with her over the years and, eventually, we became estranged.</p><p id="ba0a">One of these days I’d like to tell my sister-in-law how much I’ve thought about that day of the baby shower in recent years, and how much I regret not speaking up about her behavior at the time.</p><p id="8aa9">I didn’t think a baby shower would mean so much to me until I looked back. If I could go back in time, I would have planned another baby shower just the way I wanted it.</p><p id="6bb6">I didn’t speak up that day and I should have.</p><p id="bf49">Live and learn.</p><p id="4717"><b><i>Do you think baby showers are meaningful? Share your thoughts in the comments…</i></b></p><h2 id="15ff">You can show your love for my writing by leaving me a tip of your choosing at my PayPal, or by contributing monthly on my Ko-fi page! Thank you!</h2><h2 id="b39e">Want more reads from me? Keep scrolling…</h2><div id="9442" class="link-block">
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<h2>Things I Did in The ’90s That Seem Utterly Insane Now</h2>
<div><h3>There were no cell phones. There was no internet.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>I Met My Ex-Husband For Breakfast — And Learned This Valuable lesson</h2>
<div><h3>Time tells.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>You Don’t Get Ownership of Grief When Someone You Love Dies</h2>
<div><h3>This is an uncomfortable yet necessary sentiment.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>A Squeaky Bed Almost Ruined My Marriage</h2>
<div><h3>“I can fix it.”</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>I Almost Let Poor Body Image Ruin My Hawaiian Vacation</h2>
<div><h3>The only potential saboteur on this vacation was me.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>I Was Fired For Refusing To Make A Tired Mom Spend More Money</h2>
<div><h3>Apparently, I was not a good fit.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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<h2>The Day I Confessed To My Lover’s Wife</h2>
<div><h3>My life changed for the better after that night.</h3></div>
<div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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</div><h2 id="489e">Still here? I have a podcast about being a stepmom. Check it out if you’re interested…</h2><div id="3de8" class="link-block">
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fixer/id1485161397?i=1000647569343&source=post_page-----e1c1c7243509--------------------------------">
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<h2>The Pondering Stepmom Podcast: "The Fixer" on Apple Podcasts</h2>
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<div><p>podcasts.apple.com</p></div>
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