Replies to 'Getting Along With Your In-Laws'

Yes, I think you handled this very well!!

Your MIL does these things to provoke a reaction from you, so that in turn, she can be a "victim"...after all, she was only trying to help, right?....well, thats what she wants it to appear as to other people. You should give yourself a pat on the back for not feeding into her behavior, okay? :)  Dr. Phil says that people do things to get some kind of 'payoff'...Your MIL, for example, probably has acted this way for much of her life, so for her, this is normal behavior, the way she has always been, so when she was being controling, manipulative, dominating and a bully, she could do it wearing a disguise of "being helpful"....But you didn't give her the reaction she was hoping for, so she didn't get her payoff this time!! Its a victory for you!! Next year, when it comes time to start planning your son's birthday, you can find somewhere stress-free to have it. Listen, don't let your MIL get to you, okay? Its not worth it. You are a bigger person then that. When she is pushing your buttons, she is looking for two things: one is to get her way, to be the boss, the other is to hopefully p*ss you or someone else off enough to get them to tell her off, that way she can be the "poor victim who was only trying to help..."  The best way to deal with her, in the future when she is giving advice that you are not interested in, put yourself on repeat, say "thanks, but we're all set"...."thanks, but we're all set..." she will get the  hint, even though she doesn't want to!!