I am a walking circus.

First, thanks for all your well wishes. Because modern antibiotics are amazing miracles, I feel remarkably well. No longer contagious, no longer feverish, up and about and even dressed. At 8:53. Which is saying something even when I haven't been sick.

And now for bigger and better literary topics...

I am a walking circus.

You KNOW what I mean, don't you?

I do my best to avoid it, but inevitably, sometimes I HAVE to go places with all of my children in tow. When we go to the park, I actually do it on purpose. And we take the dog. Do you KNOW how funny people look at you when you are walking around with four small children, a dog, AND a noticeably pregnant belly?

You are exactly right.

Like you are your very own three ring circus, complete with a flying trapeze and four talking monkeys.

Some people stare. Which is fine. My kids are awesome at staring right back. But some people? Some people feel like they just can't let you walk past without saying something.

Now, I'm a pretty chatty person. I don't mind talking to people. I LIKE talking to people. Just not when I'm with all my kids. I mean, as much as I love to hear about how someone's second cousin's girlfriend's little brother is dating someone with a twin sister, I really think it's more important I keep my two year old from making a glass of chocolate milk in aisle seven.

You know my FAVORITE line from strangers? And the one I hear more often than any other phrase ever?

(That's not entirely true. There are phrases I hear more often. Things like, "He did it to me first!" and "I didn't meant to!" and "That's not fair!!" But for the sake of this post, I'm disqualifying all remarks coming from anyone that stands under 4 feet 7 inches tall and still needs to be tucked in at night.)

Where was I? Oh yes. My favorite statement from strangers...

"My, you have your hands full."

Yes. Yes I do.

It's harmless really, and yet, still so completely annoying. I want to make a T-shirt with a caption on the front that reads, "Yes. My hands are full. They are ALL mine. They were ALL on purpose, and YES. I'm having another one." Think that will cover it?

What makes me laugh the most is when people make the comment when I don't have all my kids with me. The other day in the grocery store, the well intentioned check out clerk said, "Goodness. You'll have your hands full with a toddler AND a newborn."

Heh. Funny.

A few days later, a sweet lady in the park commented as I walked past with Henry in the stroller and the dog walking along side, "My, my! You really have your hands full!"

What? With one 2 year old, and a dog on a leash? Good heavens, this is a walk in the park! (And not just because it really WAS a walk in the park.)

I guess, when I think about it, I really DO have my hands full. Thing is, I don't really FEEL like I do. I think when your busyness increases gradually, you just slowly forget what it feels like to have any free time. Your perspective changes, your expectations change, and well, the circus just becomes your life. You don't really notice it.

Which is why it's so annoying when strangers keep insisting they point it out.

Do well intentioned strangers ever bug you?