Mother-In-Law Secretly Changes Newborn’s Name And The Internet Is Furious
In-laws get a bad reputation, and in the case of one new mom and her mother-in-law, that frustration is more than justified. The new mom, nicknamed Mama Bear, wrote into the advice column at Slate magazine with a unique situation.
Here Is The Story
She found out that the middle name she and her husband had agreed upon for their child was changed behind her back, and that it was her mother-in-law's doing.
The mother-in-law definitely stepped over the line but as we soon found out, she wasn't the only one to blame.
It Wasn't A Simple Mistake
When Mama Bear went to file away her 2-month-old son's birth certificate and Social Security card, she was shocked to find that his middle named was spelled "Finlay" instead of "Finley."
Even though it was a one-letter difference, Mama Bear knew something was up.
She Had a Hunch There Was Something Going On
Mama Bear and her husband had specifically agreed upon the middle name on the condition it was spelled with an E.
The new mom was pretty confused at first and knew it wasn't just a simple typo.
Choosing A Name Is Already Difficult Enough
Let's be honest—any parent knows that choosing the name is one of the hardest parts of the process.
First, both parents have to go through the long list of people they hate and cross those names off the list. Then, you have to find something that you both agree on.
They Put A Lot Of Thought Into That Name
Usually, the middle name is a concession or bargaining chip from one of the parents.
A lot of time and effort goes into choosing the right name so it can be pretty devastating to see it was all for nothing.
Mama Bear Confronted Her Husband Right Away
The first thing Mama Bear did was go to the source: her husband.
He was the one who filled out their son's paperwork while Mama Bear was in the hospital recovering for her C-section.
He Told Her What Happened
When she brought the evidence to him, her husband admitted that he had changed the spelling on purpose because his mother had "guilt-tripped him into doing it."
While he said he regretted it the moment the Social Security card came, he couldn't bring himself to admit it.
Mama Bear Says Her Mother-In-Law Was Deceptive And Disrespectful
When Mama Bear prodded more, she found out that her mother-in-law called her husband to first try and convince him to change the name entirely.
Her mother-in-law wanted the son to have a different first name and said Mama Bear would "get mad, but get over it."
Her Mother-In-Law Is Still Trying To Make A Point
Eventually, the mother-in-law settled with a different spelling of Finley because she felt "Finlay" was more masculine.
The mother-in-law even sent a Christmas card with the middle name on it just "as a jab" toward Mama Bear.
It Left People Questioning The Husband
Mama Bear told Slate that she knows the mother-in-law has always been a manipulator and disliked her. In fact, she said the entire situation left her questioning her husband more than anything.
Even the advice columnist didn't mince words when it came to her husband's choice to lie and act behind Mama Bear's back.
She'll Never Forget
Mama Bear plans to legally change the name and is still unsure how to approach her mother-in-law.
But we can rest assured that Mama Bear won't forget about this for a long, long time.
How About We Talk About A Terrible Mother?
Imagine that you're a 24-year-old woman who just gave birth to your second child with your longtime boyfriend. You come home from the hospital with your new son, only to discover that your mother has run off with the father of your children.
Would you be happy about this scenario? No? Well, neither was the young woman that it happened to!
Moving In Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
If you were nearly nine months pregnant and trying to also care for a toddler during a global health crisis, a little extra support from your family doesn't sound like a bad idea, right?
24-year-old Jess Aldridge thought the same thing, and her boyfriend Ryan Shelton, 29, agreed—though he might not have had entirely pure intentions for wanting to move in with his girlfriend's parents.
Leaning On Mom For Support
Jess and her boyfriend opted to form a support bubble with Jess' mom, Georgina, 44, & her husband, Eric. Georgina was meant to be helping Jess and Ryan with childcare for their young daughter—also named Georgina—while Jess was just weeks away from her due date.
Georgina herself is a mother of five and has six grandchildren so far, so Jess thought she would be a great help for the young parents.
Something Fishy Is Going On
After Jess and Ryan moved in with Grandma Georgina and her husband, Jess started to notice that her mom and boyfriend were quite friendly with each other.
Friendliness turned into flirting, and Jess even confronted the pair about their relationship multiple times, though they both denied having any involvement with each other.
The Due Date Has Arrived!
On January 28th, Jess gave birth to her son Reuben at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, with her mother Georgina at her side as her birthing partner. Just hours after her son was born, Jess's boyfriend informed her via text message that he would be ending their three-year relationship.
What was the reason he gave for the breakup, you ask?
The Gas Has Been Lit
When giving a reason for the breakup, Ryan reportedly claimed he was tired of Jess accusing him of having an affair with her mother.
It turns out, though, that Jess's accusations were completely warranted. They weren't accusations; they were facts.
Runaway Grandma
It would seem that the young mom's intuition was correct because her boyfriend Ryan left her and his two children in order to be with Georgina.
Georgina had apparently split from her husband Eric weeks before, so she and her daughter's boyfriend would be able to pursue their relationship. The pair had been planning to run away together and had been involved for approximately six months behind Jess and her father's backs.
Georgina And Ryan Share Everything
After the fact, Georgina told Jess that Ryan had been trying to get with his girlfriend's mother for a while, but it wasn't until about six months before the breakup that Georgina gave in to his advances.
She even admitted they would text every day, she would read the conversations Ryan was having with his girlfriend on a daily basis, and she said the new couple were very close for a long time.
In A Hurry To Start Their Life
In an interview, Jess said that her ex-boyfriend only saw his new son for a few minutes on the day he was born, and then for approximately 10 minutes the next day while he was packing up his stuff from the home they shared.
Jess even said that her mother was waiting in the car for Ryan to pack up his things, then the pair drove off together.
"You Can't Help Who You Love"
In terms of justification for running away with her daughter's boyfriend, Georgina (according to Jess) had said "We can't help who we fall in love with."
If our mother decided to run away with the father of our children, we'd be looking for a much better reason than her simply falling in love.
Making It Facebook Official
While Jess is caring for her newborn son and probably posting a few photos for her friends to see on social media, Ryan was making a different announcement.
Both Shelton and Grandmother Aldridge have confirmed their relationship by changing their Facebook status, whereas Jess's now reflects that she is single.
Grandma Staying Close By
While Jess is now back home with her son and daughter, living in the house she used to share with Ryan, Ryan and Georgina have found their own place together.
The pair are staying at Jess's aunt's home approximately 30 miles away while they wait to move into their new home.
The Ultimate Betrayal
Jess described her mother's actions as the "ultimate betrayal," stating that "you expect a new grandmother to fall in love with the baby—not the father."
The actions of Georgina and Ryan have torn apart more than one family, but the new couple seems unconcerned about that. They're happy in their own world, as Jess moves on to care for her children without their father or grandmother in the picture.
