baby proofing at in laws and spending time with LO
My in laws live in a custom house that's impossible to baby proof, there is a railing from the upstairs to the downstairs with a 13 foot drop, and a railing to that with bars that basically makes an ladder (I attached a photo link below). But despite this my in laws expect us to come over for 3-4 hour 3 course sit down dinners once a week so they can spend time with my son who's a very mobile 7 month old. And my MIL guilt trips me if I don't - begging for photos, FaceTime and for our baby to "please come visit her".
She has tried purchasing a big stand alone playpen but he almost pulled the walls in on himself while trying to stand and climb it, and so we got another one but he doesn't like to be contained and it makes for a lot of work to entertain him while everyone is trying to "eat".
My husband and l are also the one who has to do all the set up and take down when they ask us to come weekly. l've offered to have them come to our condo where everything is baby proofed but they keep coming up with excuses.
Am I right to tell them we can't be doing these sit down dinners with a young baby any more and put my foot down that if they want to see him they need to come over?
I have also suggested we all hang out in the carpeted basement but they insist on these long dinners. It seems unreasonable. My husband says that he wants our son a part of family dinner time which we do do by having him in a high chair and I'm all for that but maybe when he's 3 or 4 we can resume. I'd love to leave these dinner parties for their retiree friends and keep my baby in a safe environment.