Friday, December 11, 2009

Under Pressure

This past June, for the Hubs's birthday, I bought him a piece of exercise equipment. He had been talking about how he was getting fat, and wanted to get back into shape. This was partly true because when we first started dating he wore a size 28x32 in jeans, and then sometime after we got married he got up to a 32x32, and now he's back down to a 30x32. Nevertheless, he was wanting to get back in his "high school body". In high school he was on the soccer team, track team, and in marching band...so he was pretty fit (and sexy). He's still sexy now of course, but it's just not the same. Anyway, to get back to the story; I bought him The Perfect Pull Up, and it cost me 90 bucks at Target. I was pretty excited, because he was expecting a video game and I had gotten him something completely different and unexpected (and more practical). So when he opened up his birthday present, he looked at it...looked at me...looked back down at the The Perfect Pull Up, and then looked back up at me. I realized quickly that the expression on his face was not one of pure and utter happiness or joy. It was a "...what the hell is this piece of shit, and where is my video game?" type expression.

"...You said something about wanting to get back in shape, so I thought this could help." I explained.
"...I would have rather had a video game." Yes he did. He said that to me.

Oh the things I could have said to him after that. You wouldn't believe the words that my mind filled with, like:You ungrateful S.O.B, you need that exercise equipment you big, stupid, fatty!, but I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I threw the receipt at him (which didn't go very far, because, well, paper can't be thrown unless it's balled up) and walked away yelling "Go get whatever the HELL you want!". Of course, the Hubs then realized that what he had said to me was very jerk-ish (I'm not even sure if that is a good enough word for it), and he chased me around the house as I walked from room to room refusing to say anything more to him.

We ended up okay with each other in the end, but he did take back the exercise equipment and got a couple of video games. He said he didn't want to take it back, because it would hurt my feelings, but I told him that "I paid 90 dollars for that damn thing" and if he wasn't going to use it...then he needed to get the money back for it. Besides, my feelings had already been hurt by his heartlessness.

The point of this story was to let you know that I don't have it easy like most wives. Most women's husbands could care less if they get anything for Christmas or Birthdays. Mine cares. So, as you can imagine, I am under a lot of pressure for Christmas. He of course wants some video games for the Wii, but what games should I get him? He's not like me. I grew up playing Super Mario Bros. and racing games on the XBOX. He grew up playing those stupid war games where you blow people up and the entire screen turns red with blood. Yuck. He also likes expensive things. Things like, iPods, iPhones, and Playstation 3's (even though we just got the Wii last year). I'm not sure if he thinks I have a secret stash of money hidden somewhere and can afford all of these things, or if he's just completely outside of his mind.

I don't think that I can really blame all of this on him though. Growing up, he was given lots of expensive things at Christmas. And one year the Easter Bunny (which I do not celebrate) brought him and his brother 4 Wheelers! What the hell? Who gets 4 Wheelers for Easter? So, needless to say, the Hubs is spoiled. Thank God that my Parents made me a practical person. For Christmas we got one big gift (Video game console, bike, camera, etc), and then a few little things (clothes, movies, etc...). I still had an awesome Christmas without my Daddy having to go broke just to spoil me.

My goal in our marriage is this: I want to make the Hubs a more practical, and less spoiled person. This year for Christmas, he is getting a few clothes and a couple of video games. That's it. Nothing less, nothing more. Hey, the kid needs to grow up some time.


...Samantha

P.S: As much it may not sound like it, I do love the Hubs with all of my heart.

5 comments:

Shandal said...

Oh my word you had me rolling when your threw that receipt. It's so something that would've happened to me, so it was just hysterically funny to me. I tend to stick with the list of gift ideas that my hubs gives me. Otherwise, he may not say that he's not appreciative for the gift idea that I came up with... but the look of disappointment on his face says enough. :( Anything from Best Buy I can pretty much count on getting the look of pure joy on his face. haha I'm not sure men will ever grow out of enjoying getting a "toy" for a present. Whatever, as long as it doesn't cause drama in our relationship I'll continue to get him whatever "toy" he wants.

Thanks for coming by and following!

Menopausal New Mom said...

Samantha that was funny. I could just see your husband's face looking at that exercise equipment and saying WTF?? My husband is one who doesn't care, I'm over buying for him for X-mas. While we were dating I bought him a sign for his cottage, he looked at it and then at me and said "I've been at that cottage for 20 years, if I wanted a sign I'd have one by now". What a bastard and yes that fixed me buying for him.

On another note, you're gonna laugh. I was photographing the dining room today for my This Old House Series on Wednesday and didn't I get a damn orb in one of the photos! It's in front of the fireplace. I'll post it Wednesday so make sure you check it, I'll make reference to it for you. First hint of anything here since we moved in but like you said, being built in 1891, must be something here besides us! No joke, this is real!

Kimi said...

Your layout makes me smile everytime I visit. It is so fetchin cute!

As for hubs??? Men *insert eye roll here*

Brandy@YDK said...

Boys are dumb. My husband is completely spoiled and it is all my fault. His mom was practical. Then I date and marry him and spoiled him. Now we are broke and I feel bad. Such is life. And I need him to understand that it is grayson's turn. Lol. And the wii isn't so great for adult games. Maybe Zelda? Love Zelda

MrsM said...

I have the opposite problem. We can hardly ever afford anything for each other for Christmas (we're lucky if we can afford the kids' presents!) and my husband is so sweet and understanding about it that it just makes me feel sick with guilt.

Oh well.