Clichés are hard to talk about without being cliché

It's my own fault, really. I was the one who had three kids so close together, and I was the one who took said kids out it public. It was bound to happen. You can't be a young(ish) mom without hearing at least one person's opinion about your family masked in clichés. This time, it was me, my three kids and my much younger, recently adopted, brother and sister (another story for another for another time) walking into the corner store near my home. As I was reminding all the kids that we were not going to beg for anything in the store, a man who was probably in his early fifties stopped us before we could even enter the market. 

"Excuse me, Miss?" he asked. I turned around to see his wide eyes staring at me and my legion of minors. "Are all of these YOUR kids?" I was a little taken back. First of all, I look young enough to call be called Miss, but at the same time look old enough to have five kids? The oldest of the kids bing an eight year old girl? Hmmm. Secondly, why does this guy I've never met care how many kids I have? Come on dude, ever heard of "Stranger Danger?"

"Well, the three smallest are mine" I replied, as I was trying to politely back step away from the conversation. Then it happened. That canned response that always makes me cringe. "Wow. You really have your hands full."  The kids weren't even being a "handful" when this guy bestowed his opinion upon me. Now, this gentleman seemed nice enough, and I am sure he didn't mean anything by his comment, but it's the kind of comment I hear every time I am out with my little ones. I have noticed that these comments are usually paired with judgmental glares and condescending tones  that scream things like "you're in away over your head" or "it's your own fault, you know" but what it is mostly being conveyed to me is "your kids are animals." 

Now, of course I'm in over my head. Every parent is in way over their heads! And yes, the amount of children I had was up to me, but it was my choice, not my fault. I am happy I had three kids in three years. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and , at least 50%  of the time, still seems like a good idea. The only thing I have to agree with is that my kids are animals. They are wild, wonderful, crazy, cute, hyper, and happy animals. 

I am not trying to be a downer. Clichés do not bother me as much now as they did when my husband and I first started our family. In fact, some of them are pretty funny to me. Here are a few clichés that give me a good chuckle.

My "twins" 

1. "It's just like having twins!"~ I heard this one a lot when I only had Jude and Gideon. I guess for some people, having babies a year a part is the same as delivering two babies at once, being up all night
with two newborns, and having two crawlers learning how to get into everything at the exact same time. This comment really doesn't bother me, because I know people are just amazed at the idea of siblings being born so close together. The reason this makes me laugh is because I'm pretty sure my friends who have had twins would strongly disagree that having a newborn and a toddler  are the same as having twins. In fact, I'm pretty sure I would get punched in the face if I said that to some of them.

2. "You know what causes that right?"~ I can't help but laugh at this, because I always wonder what the person would say if I looked at them with wide-eyed innocence  and ask, "No! I have been trying to figure it out and I just can't! Will you please explain it to me? Is it something I'm eating?" It would be funny, but I don't think I could say it with out my words dripping with sarcasm. I'm just not that good of an actress.

3. "You're going to miss these moments"~ Yes, I agree. There will be a plethora of things I will miss when my kids grow up. I can promise you that my boys yelling in a restaurant, or  Abby screaming her head off while I try to buckle her into her carseat, are not moments that are going to be missed. Will I miss this age? Yup, absolutely. Will I miss the poopy diapers? That idea is just hilarious to me!

If you have said any of these things to people, no judgement here. I can guarantee I have said plenty of things that drive other people bonkers! In fact "bonkers" is probably one of things that I say that drives other people... bonkers. Now I can't stop using the word bonkers. I better stop while I'm ahead.

Have an amazing weekend!
Chyan