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Three Kids and a Two Kids World

For a while now I have said I should write down the crazy things people say to me when I am out with the kids.  I hope to come back and laugh at this someday, but I am constantly annoyed at the stupid things people say to me.  I don't remember the comments being that bad when it was just Jonah and Audrey, but since we added Reuben it has become clear that we crossed a line in this world of "two kids and no more." 

It was first conveyed to me that I was crossing the line when I was pregnant with Reuben.  I was sitting at the doctor's office talking with a lady in her 50s.  When she realized I was pregnant and already had two she said.  "I am going to tell you what I told my daughter.  You need a television in the bedroom."  I did not have a snappy come back but found her comment inappropriate.

"Wow! You have your hands full!"  I should count how many times that I hear that phrase alone.  If people are trying to be polite they word it "Wow! You are a busy mom!"  I have gotten so tired of this comment that I always reply with "We are busy, but we have a lot of fun!"
There was one time that a comment was well deserved, but maybe not the one that was made.  Reuben was very done with Target and letting me know.  We were up at the front ready to get in line when I realized that I should not have been tuning out  Audrey's whines.  She has lost a shoe somewhere in Target.  She was now very upset and started crying.  I let Jonah out of his seat to help me backtrack and search.  I am sure that I was a sight with my two screaming kids and 4 year old running up and down the rows, but this guy stopped to stare at us and then called to his wife, "Hey Honey, you have got to come see this!"  I really wanted to reply back with "Either help me or get out of my way!" but I didn't.  We did find Audrey's shoe.

I was shopping at Fareway one day and Jonah was going from item to item saying "Hey Mom!  Do we need this?"  It was a little overwhelming but he wasn't being naughty or anything.  Another customer looked at us and said, "You have quite the helper there!"  I was expecting the "Enjoy it they grow up fast" encouragement, but instead she said,  "I am sure glad that I do not have a helper with me!" 

Walgreens is not an easy place to take the kids because they have very small carts.  I usually put Audrey in the stroller and wear Reuben.  Two elderly gentlemen we getting their prescriptions filled and the one was making the "hands full" comment and the other guy felt the need to pipe in that "It is really not bad."  He and his wife had three little ones close in age and he thought that it was easy.  I didn't ask him for pity, but I think it would have been interesting to talk with his wife.  I wondered if she would have described it as "easy" too.

Just this week a lady was asking me what ages the kids are and her eyes got really big when she relized they were brothers and sister.  "You mean they are all yours! They aren't daycare kids?"  Nope all THREE of them are mine!

Maybe we are more of a sight out in public than I realize, but I feel bad for a family like the Duggars with 19!

Comments

  1. Here we go again, at Fareway today a man felt it necessary to stop to say "I didn't know that they sold animals here." For the love! I almost bit back and told him he was rude, because he was rude!

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