Weirdos and Sunglasses

Saturday before last we went to the Botanical Gardens. Usually those sorts of trips are rather uneventful. When I first was pregnant with the babies, I tried to avoid telling anyone that there were three babies in there just to avoid the obvious questions and comments (i.e. did you do fertility? did you plan to have three? better you than me. bless you. -- and so on and so forth). For obvious reasons, it didn't get that much better when we started going out with the kids, and perhaps that has something to do with our four foot wide red stroller. Regardless, Gary and I have been rather proud of how we've been able to just let the questions and comments roll off. . . . We know that most all of them are just out of innocent (even if ignorant) curiousity.

At the Botanical Gardens the Saturday before last, though, the weirdos were out. I've never seen such brazen people. One woman asked to photograph us (I said no), several people tried to get in front of the stroller and stop us, and a zillion people said crazy things to us. I don't think we passed anyone who didn't have something to say. At one point I told Gary I wanted to sit down and rest, so when I sat on the bench I asked him to turn the stroller toward me so that the kids wouldn't be facing out towards the weirdos. Well, I was taking some photos of the kids and next thing I know some nutjob is standing next to me and in front of the stroller, all up in our personal space, and asking us questions (so is this just 24/7? how do you even do it? are they girls or boys? etc.) We barely answered him, and started packing up to start moving again.

I understand that we are bound to get a little attention out in public, but I do really wish that people would just not interfere with our family time and get in our personal space. I understand people saying something in passing, or asking a quick question, but the personal questions and invasion of personal space was a little much. If nothing else, at least this happened this year and not last year, because last year I was not prepared to deal with that sort of attention. This year I can handle it a lot better.

Despite all the weirdos, the kids had a good time. Henry always hates having the sun in his eyes, so this trip we brought along his sunglasses. He really liked them. You could literally see the attitude the minute he put them on (check out his pursed lips and then the eyebrow raise). . . .








Rosemary wanted to wear the sunglasses, too.



What really cracked me up is how she kept trying to push them on top of her head. I guess she is mimicking me because usually I have my sunglasses or glasses on top of my head when I'm inside or taking pictures. . . .





Piper wasn't very into the sunglasses for this trip, but she still posed a little for me here and there. . . .