I told WordWhiz I would blog about my experience with my Father-In-Law (FIL). There have been many, but I'll only tell a about a couple here. By the way, we sent him Swimming Sideways discussion about integrity (via the archaic print-and-snail-mail method). Renee added a note that said she liked the discussion and thought he might like it too. Yes, it was a little passive aggressive, but believe me, he won't put the two together.

After Renee worked an entire week to birth a beautiful baby boy, and after we brought our family home, the FIL called requesting a visit to see his new grandson. Now, when the FIL calls us and wants to drive the whole hour to see us, it usually sets Renee into anxious mode. And rightly so. Being the clueless, insensitive asshole he is, we usually hear inappropriate comments and "jokes" (i.e. making fun of Renee). During his prior visit, he told an 8-month-pregnant Renee, not once, but twice (we tried to just ignore the first comment), that, "you look like you're putting on a lot of weight." I told him flatly, "Don't go there, Keith!"He said, "Don't go there? I'm just teasing." I said, "Don't!"

(I need to preface with additional information. When we were in Chantilly(Renee would have been 7 months pregnant at that time) for my Sister-in-law's wedding, Renee's step-father called her "Fatty" every time he walked past her. Renee told me it bothered her and I told her to tell him to stop, and if there was a problem after that, I would take care of it. She told him to stop and he made a big scene out of it, saying he thought it was cute. She told him it wasn't and to stop. He did and both he and her mother didn't speak to her for the rest of their time there. Renee, for some reason, brought this up with the FIL, and his response was, "you shouldn't have disrespected him." This conversation happen prior to him coming out see us when Renee was 8 months pregnant. So he knew what a hot button it was for her.) [I hope I haven't lost anyone.]

Back to the original story. He comes out to see our beautiful Dane for the first time. When he comes to the door, Renee lets him in and the first words out of his mouth, the first fucking words were, "I thought you said you had that baby." I spun around and was just about to push this old fucking man out the door, when he saw the look in my eyes and said, "Guess I shouldn't have said that." I said, "That's right. You shouldn't have said that." I turned and walked into the other room, trying to maintain some semblance of control. I think I could have killed him!

Just so you know how things are now, the last time he came out to the house was in January (I think). When he got there, I met him at his truck and told him how it was going to be. I said, "Teasing Renee, making fun of her or arguing will no longer be tolerated here. If you do any of these things here, I will throw you out. Do we understand each other?" We got into it a little bit about the gee-it's-only-innocent-fun aspect. I told him I didn't care, it wasn't happening here. And said, "okay, okay." And we went inside and things chilled out. However, that was the last time he has come to our house and the last time I've seen him.

Renee met him at a park a last month, because she was in his area, but he behaved himself. So things are okay between them. I'm sure he's upset with me because I confronted him, but I just won't allow anyone in my family (or friends) to fall victim to assholes. Not if there is something I can do about it. I'm all for letting people fight their own battles, but I don't mind jumping in and giving it a go, if they are have problems.