i always love telling people i have four kids. it gets such a reaction. it's as if i had just told them i graduated from college when i was ten and then flew to the moon on a shuttle i made myself. i kind of love it.
anyway, one of my favorite pastimes is reacting to the things people say to me about the fact that i have SO many kids.
of course there's the everyday occurance of "you've got your hands full!"
gag.
down in the south (even though southeast florida isn't really considered "the south") a lot of people say to me "god bless you" which is sweet and nice i guess, but i know how they really mean it. "god bless you." which makes me think that i look pathetically haggard or that i am involved in some impossible feat.
some people take it upon themselves to say very uncomfortable/annoying things. for example, the other day i was picking up parker from school and we had all the windows down and some teacher or dad poked their head in the window and said, "are they all yours?" i replied that indeed they are, to which he called me a "very fertile young lady". i don't know about you, but i don't really feel comfortable having strangers comment on my ferility. especially male strangers.
anyway, one of my favorite pastimes is reacting to the things people say to me about the fact that i have SO many kids.
of course there's the everyday occurance of "you've got your hands full!"
gag.
down in the south (even though southeast florida isn't really considered "the south") a lot of people say to me "god bless you" which is sweet and nice i guess, but i know how they really mean it. "god bless you." which makes me think that i look pathetically haggard or that i am involved in some impossible feat.
some people take it upon themselves to say very uncomfortable/annoying things. for example, the other day i was picking up parker from school and we had all the windows down and some teacher or dad poked their head in the window and said, "are they all yours?" i replied that indeed they are, to which he called me a "very fertile young lady". i don't know about you, but i don't really feel comfortable having strangers comment on my ferility. especially male strangers.
which brings me to the "are they all yours?" comment. i don't really understand the popularity of this comment. i get it all the time. if i saw a lady with four kids i wouldn't think to ask her "are they all yours?" would you?
here's another one i get quite often but i usually receive this comment when i am not with my kids. "you have four kids? you are so calm!" to which i honestly don't ever know how to react. because a.) i'm calm because they're not with me, and b.) i'm not calm. they should see me at home right after sawyer has crawled through oliver's freshly upchucked vomit. and how should i be acting? should a mother of four always look harried and panicky? i don't get it.
i wonder what comments tomorrow will bring. maybe something about birthing hips. i can only hope...
here's another one i get quite often but i usually receive this comment when i am not with my kids. "you have four kids? you are so calm!" to which i honestly don't ever know how to react. because a.) i'm calm because they're not with me, and b.) i'm not calm. they should see me at home right after sawyer has crawled through oliver's freshly upchucked vomit. and how should i be acting? should a mother of four always look harried and panicky? i don't get it.
i wonder what comments tomorrow will bring. maybe something about birthing hips. i can only hope...
old picture, but i love it. check out tiny sawyer.
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15 comments:
what the? "very fertile young lady?" in highschool and boy told me i had child-bearing hips. awesome.
This kills me! And i'm pretty sure the next time I talk to a random stranger with more than one kid i'll comment on her fertility, or maybe her husbands :)
Wow. I don't think even a cheezy Dad would say some of that stuff. Probably the "all yours" comes from the high divorce rate and remarriage into his or her other children, like you are stuck with them or something like that. Pretty callous actually. Oh well. Love the thoughts.
oh man, i can totally relate. the fertility comment is pretty funny/disturbing.
a few of my favorites...
"are you trying to populate the world by yourself?!"
"i hope your husband has a good job."
and on our most recent trip into the city..."it's time to get something snipped."
seriously. why do people think it's ok to say these things? filter, people. filter.
wow..fertile? seriously?
I do get the "you've got your hands full" all the time and I reply, "Yep, I do!" But on the flip side, I get a lot of help from people opening doors and making sure that my 'flock' are all in a row so they don't run over them, etc.
People...
Four kids makes someone an alien these days? I guess I can believe that since people always look at me with my ONE child like I am doomed (and insane). What is wrong with people these days? I'd imagine it would be easier in FL. On the EC people thing one and done all the time. I think my whole family will think I am nuts when we ttc #2 in time for the two to be 2 years apart. GASP!
Hilarious post!
With four girls, did you know "I'm outnumbered"? Also, someone told us once to buy a TV, it is cheaper.
i don't get why people always comment on this.
i (only) have two and walking in the airport once with eli and pregnant with abe someone said..."you guys know how that happens, right?"
oh whoops.
james- i am 1 of 4 girls and when people find that out they always say 'oh your poor father'
to which i always reply, "maybe thats why he left"
then they stop talking
I'll be joining your predicament soon, #4 is on the way in May. Oddly enough they think it's a boy, so we'll be ending our parade of gore girls.
fertile young lady? holy moly. next it'll be the crossing guard telling you she's jealous of your uterus?
ok, when did four kids become like 10? not that four isn't a lot- you go girl- but four is not insane (though sometimes, with 4, my house does feel insane). you get it.
especially when they all look alike. "no, i don't think shopping is interesting enough without my kids and the neighbor's as well. can i bring yours with me tomorrow when i go to target?"
i feel your pain. and in a few more months, i will even more (#4, here we come!)
man I love reading your posts. I hope you have a 'calm' Christmas!
I've enjoyed your blog. You have an entertaining writing skill and are a great mom with fun friends. I've had those comments and just smiled and said "Are you looking to buy?" Of course since you know my kids, you know that I wasn't kidding! Merry Christmas, sweet Robin.
1. Holy. Schnikes. If any man (other than my someday-hubby) were to comment on my fertility, he might meet a fate that only martyred saints know. I cannot even believe that a random creepy dude would comment on that! People are such fools. (Although, it did leave me stunned, giggling at my screen. So, I'm thankful for that.)
2. Although my mama only had two of us, we couldn't have looked more different. She often got stopped and asked, distainfully, "Are they from the same father?" (i.e. "Are you a floozy?") My mother handled it with much more grace than I would have. Yiiiikes.
yep-you're a regular ol' fertile myrtle. gross. haha.
I feel like super woman for taking my three children anywhere. People's stares when things get heated in the aisles of Marshalls/the grocery store/ the post office are brutal.
"What, you've never heard three children screaming/crying in unison before?!"
maybe we should keep a running tally of "you've got your hands fulls"
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