Milk Money

Before I launch into this entry, I am going to the doctor this morning. The pain is worse. I cannot wait to get there and update you on what this crap is.

Now, for the party.

Yesterday was my niece's 8th birthday. Even though I wasn't feeling 100% I got ready and took Arwen. We arrived and there was nothing really going on. Just a bunch of kids and parents, most of the children were skating around in the rented room while their Moms and some Dads watched on.

I got Arwen situated and took a seat next to a man I was introduced to as my cousin's husband. My cousin, Angie, has 5 children. This is husband number 4 and Father to baby number 5. If that doesn't tell you enough about this woman I'll add in that, she doesn't work and has no plans to and lives in her Mom and Dad's old trailer on welfare. Her husband was cordial enough and had their baby girl (Annabel's age) in his arms.

When the time arrived to cut the cake, I washed my hands and hurried over to help cut and distribute. All of Angie's kids crowded around the table. As I was handing Arwen her plate Angie's oldest son said:

"I was told I would get the next piece!"

I ignored him and instead gave him the next slice and off he went. All of her children shoved into the line and nabbed their cake and rushed off so imagine my surprise when halfway through the 30 some children...

"Can I have a big ole' corner piece? Angie just LOVES her icing!!"

It's Angie's husband. He standing there, hovering over the heads of the children. At first I'm in shock because there are so many children that haven't been served. And here is this asshole, wanting cake first, with tons of icing for his icing hungry wife??

I cut a small side piece with has tons of the border icing on it. He looked at it, then looked over at the plate I was using to scrape the additional icing off the knife, then proceeded to pick the plate up with rubbed and smeared icing and put the cake in it before walking off. I was about to tell him how nasty that is when:

"I want some more cake!"

It's her children, again. I guess in their house if you snooze you lose. I told them I was sorry but they had to wait until everyone else got a piece before I gave out seconds. They quickly hurried over to the ice cream instead. I watched in horror as they went through plate after plate of runny ice cream. Shoving it down as if it was the last sugar they'd see until the next party they got invited to.

I'd like to say, "what is wrong with these people??" but the truth is when you have parents demanding cake BEFORE children I can only imagine. I wonder if she even bakes cakes for treats like I do from time to time. It's not expensive. I can make a 2 tier cake with icing for my children for maybe 3 dollars? Or less? How hard is it? But the best is still to come.

As the party was winding down I wound up next to them, again. This time she was talking about her baby and formula. Of course, I told her that I'm nursing Mom.

"No babies are making MY boobs drag to my knees." She said disgustedly. "You can forget it."

"Good thing they don't actually do that," I said back. "Plus they make you lose the baby weight and it's good for the baby."

"Well that's true and it's good for the baby but all of mine were on formula." I was getting the "breastfeeding is gross" vibe from her.

"The one thing though," I said, knowing they don't have money because she won't work. "is it saves TONS of money."

"I'm sure it does," she says before informing me, "but you can get WIC for up to 75,000 dollars per household with all of my children so I didn't have to pay for any of it with my kids."

That night when climbing into bed I shared the nights events with my husband and when I told him this he asked.

"Did you tell her to say thank you?"

"No, why would I?" I asked.

"For paying for half of that WIC milk of course. Do you really think that milk is free? Where do you think that money comes from."

Next time I'll be sure to remember that.