Monday, October 8, 2007
My full hands
I sometimes think no one has ever taken three young children in public before. Seriously. I cannot even believe how often when I am shopping/running errands with my three kids that strangers tell me that I "have my hands full." In.that.exact.phrasing. It is getting so excessively old. I am not even kidding when I say that probably 50 percent of the time we're out and about I hear this. And what amazes me most is my kids are generally pretty well behaved in public. So it's not like I have three kids melting down, whining or screaming. Usually, the two youngest ones are in a cart or stroller and Connor is walking nicely beside me. The looks we get sometimes make me feel we're a freak parade or something! Is it such an uncommon thing these days to have three young kids???? Some people say it nicely, some are almost rude. I need a good comeback for all these comments! I generally just offer up a feeble "oh, it's not bad" or "it's actually pretty fun" or something lame like that. My friend suggested I reply, "this is nothing! I left the other three at home!" I have another friend who has 4 kids and she has actually had strangers tell her, "I sure hope you're done!" I am not even kidding. Then today, while me and my posse were at Target, two elderly ladies approached us. It was kind of weird, they were walking toward us in a slow, almost trance-like way. They looked at Lucas, riding in his carseat in the seat of the cart, and then at Connor, who was standing next to me. And then one peeked around to the basket of the cart, where Isabel was, and squealed to the other, "oooooh, look! There's another one in here! And it's a girl!" I honestly felt like I had just produced a child from my ear or something. My kids weren't quite sure what to make of this. At least they did offer some kind words by commenting that I have adorable children. I'll agree with that! So maybe next time someone comments that my hands are full (and it's bound to happen within my next two outings), I should tell them I'd rather they be full than empty.
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5 comments:
Ah man, I can't believe that!! I guess that's what I have coming in a few months. I love your idea for a comeback - rather full than empty. My sister, who has 5 children, always replies, "yes, full of love." People have a lot of nerve, I tell ya. And really, better full than empty.
That's the best comeback of all! And, they're just jealous of your cute kids, so consider it a wonderful, yet painfully often repeated, compliment ;)
I get comments while I'm out. Like when Trevor is in the car seat in the cart "What aisle did you find him on?" I think people are generally just trying to strike up a conversation, or are just saying things in admiration. But the time Addy ripped her hat off in the parking lot and a woman told us while entering a store "She should really have a hat on in this weather". Those who "know the most" about raising your kids don't have kids!
Too funny! We don't get those comments yet, just the ever-popular tall jokes. :)
I can't believe that you are getting comments like that with 3 kids! It's not like you have a baseball team or something. Although a friend of mine was running into similar comments when she moved to Texas. I guess where she is everyone who has kids over 18 months has them in full time "pre-school". Even church members gave her a hard time for having her kids at home with her during the day. I say practice your awsome comebacks so it just flows out the next time someone has the nerve to say something.
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