Birthday anxiety.

  Grandson turned two this week! I honestly do not know how it's already been two years since he was born.  They're having his birthday party this weekend.  Originally they were planning on having the party at Girlfriend's parents' house for a few reasons.  One was that Girlfriend's grandma is paranoid about COVID and most likely wouldn't come if they had a big guest list.  Another is that they didn't really have the money for a hall.  Another is that they rented a huge hall last year and Girlfriend said she felt like it was excessive considering what they paid and how many people actually came.  Since they started planning the party, Girlfriend's parents found a smaller hall to rent so they paid for it and the party will be held there instead.

   Son and Girlfriend came to visit with the kids last month.  While they were visiting, Son brought up Grandson's birthday party.  Son said he was kind of "freaking out" because everybody was going to be together at once; by "everybody" he meant me, Husband, Ned, and particularly The Ex.  Both he and Girlfriend said they didn't expect there to be any issues with me, Husband, or Ned; Son said he "knows how his mom is" and that he was nervous that The Ex was going to start running her mouth and cause a scene in front of everyone else.

  Son asked what I thought he should say to The Ex when she started talking crap.  I told him he didn't have to say anything because The Ex likes to talk a lot of shit, but she has never done it to our faces.  Son & Girlfriend both agreed with that; they said that The Ex would always run her mouth about us but it was when they were alone with her.  Son said that he wanted to call The Ex out and tell her to stop being stupid; I told him that he could just tell her that he didn't want any drama at the party.  Son said he wanted to "embarrass" The Ex.  Girlfriend and I both said that wasn't necessary and he shouldn't be trying to embarrass The Ex, especially in front of a group of people; I told Son that embarrassing The Ex wouldn't make her suddenly realize she's wrong and get her to stop doing what she was doing.

  Son said that The Ex "needed to learn" to stop acting stupid.  He said, "I'm just gonna tell her, 'Look, this isn't about you.  If you can't get over it and get along with everyone, and just be here for your son and your grandson, then you can get out.'"  Girlfriend said that if The Ex started running her mouth, she'd understand if I reacted; I told her I wasn't going to because it doesn't matter to me.  Girlfriend said that at Grandson's first birthday party, they had caught me rolling my eyes at The Ex.  I told her that I honestly do not remember doing that whatsoever because even if The Ex is irritating me, I've never let her see it.  Girlfriend said, "She was over in the corner talking shit about you and [Husband,] that's when you did it."  Again, I told both of them that I truly do not remember rolling my eyes about anything that The Ex had said or done; if I had, it was completely accidental or maybe it happened to be about something else, but I did not intentionally try to roll my eyes at Her Royal Fatness.

  A few weeks later, Girlfriend was messaging me and saying how Son was still freaking out over the upcoming party and what may/may not happen with all of us under one roof.  I told Girlfriend that the four of us were together multiple times - at the baby shower, when Grandson was born, at Grandson's first birthday, and even the weekend before Granddaughter was born when we were visiting at Son & Girlfriend's apartment when The Ex & Ned stopped by unannounced.  I told her that we'd been together before without incident and there was nothing to worry about; I told Girlfriend that if The Ex started anything with us, we were probably just going to laugh because quite simply put, she is not worth the effort.

  The more I thought about it, I don't think that The Ex will start anything.  My reason for this is because it's not just going to be the four of us in a room by ourselves; Son, Girlfriend, and both of Girlfriend's parents are going to be there as well as anyone else that they'd invited.  Girlfriend's dad cannot stand The Ex; Girlfriend's mom used to be friends with The Ex but was talking crap about her after Grandson's last birthday party.  She complained that The Ex & Ned didn't help at all to set up the party, that they barely helped clean up afterward, and said that Ned would talk about the fights he'd have with The Ex and that their arguments were "unbelievable."

  So I could be wrong, but I don't think that The Ex is going to cause a scene where more than one person would be ready and willing to call her out on her nonsense.  But I'll be sure to let you all know what happens.