Blanket or Dishrag, you be the judge...

When I was pregnant with my daughter my mother in law was completely involved. She was at at every ultrassound(all 9) and drove me to every doctors appointment. She spoiled her rotten with a crib, clothes,toys, and savings bonds. To this day she still spoils the girl. One would specualte it is because she is a girl. Here is the kink in that theory, when we said she was a girl the woman cried because she wanted a grandson. She is just that kind of considerate person, talk about a mood killer. So despite the vagina thing she spoiled this little girl and made her a beautiful blanket with rows af crochetted hearts. My girl loves this blanket more than anything she owns. It is her safety, it smells like her and is a ratty as all hell.

Fast forward to my baby boy. NOTHING! This child is so neglect by this woman you would think he was a bastard son or something. She buys him things she picks up at garage sales and as you saw, cowboy clothes. She has not been invloved in his life. The little boy won't even go to her when she is around. She didn't visit him through all of his hospitalizations. The whole descrepency in affection pisses me off! This is where the ridiculous "blanket" comes in to play. As his first birthday approaches she shows up at my house, obviously noticing the clock ticking against her. After a bit of small talk she says she wanted to drop off his Blanket she made. Reaching into her little plastic grocery bag she begins the explaination," I didn't want to make it like 4 ft. long since he's crawling all over. I was afraid that he would get hurt dragging it around if I made some huge thing." Possibly valid. Then she presents the smallest scrap of patterned yarn I have ever seen. I feel my lips part as I blurt out," Oh my grandma gave up!" She sheepishly laughs at having been called out on her failed "attempt". Who am I kidding, this is no attempt! The thing isn't blocked, is edged on one end and doesn't even have the loose yarn weaved in. WTF! I later measured it to be a wonderous 23"x21".

(that is a ruler NOT a yard stick and a cat not a panther)

(OK I just noticed the cat was in the picture and had to comment on her fluffiness. That cat will make a fine pair of slippers one day)

I am in shock that she would even try to give this to him! Did I mention insulted. Nothing says I barely love you like 2 dozen rows of yarn. My husband said that he was going to donate it but I think we need to hold onto it for evidence. Perhaps I come off as ungrateful, granted I have no gratitude for this blanket, but I truly am not that way. I try hard to instill good values in my kids. I want them to be appriciative of the small things but I think 23x21 is a little too small to appriciate.