Please welcome the crazy lady!!!!

I think people who don't know me (and by that I mean "see me in action") forget how young all my children are.

As of right now my daughter is 5 1/2. There's almost 2 1/2 years between my daughter and my son. My son is 3 and my next son is 2. They are 13 months apart, exactly. The baby is 3 months. The two youngest are 20 months apart. That's 4 babies in 5 years.

And let me tell you, at our local grocery store, we are a sensation.

I hardley ever shop at night, I love my "down time" too much to go out. I hate paying a sitter so I can shop at naptime. I also shop during the day because I'm already out and about, it saves time and money combining trips. We drop my daughter off at preschool and the 3 boys and I head to the store.

deep breath

It's energy sapping. It takes a lot of patience. But honestly, it's not hard because of the kids, it's the other shoppers who make it difficult.

My 3 year old walks next to the cart. He does, he really does. He holds on and walks all over the store with me. (And 99% of the time, he does it happily.)

My 2 year old rides in the cart. (With a cart cover, he LICKS everything, gross!) He holds the shopping list and my pen. Again, 99% of the time he does this happily.

The baby goes in a front pack. Lately he has been awake long enough to check things out for a bit, but typically he spends the shopping trip unconcious. So he totally qualitifes for the 99% happily part.

What I don't get is.....I am shopping with 3 small quiet, well-behaved children and I still get plenty of critisicm. Now I typically don't mind advice or comments or tips....but I am really starting to get fed up with some of the crap that flows out of people's mouths. Here are some of my favorites:

"Those are all yours?" I nod "My god! Please stop!"

"Wow, I can't believe you have that many kids! That's ridiculous."

"Why would you want that many babies?" (I was prego at the time with #4)

"Good lord! Look! That's insane! I bet her house is a mess." (This was a couple whispering, loudly, to each other behind me in line)

I don't get it. My children are clean, wearing clean clothes. They are behaving themselves with out pleading, begging, or yelling on my part. No one is crying. No one has a fit (usually), and no one runs away!

I think part of my problem is I go in the mornings. There are a lot more poeple there who are NOT in a hurry. It's also the same morning the senior center does their shopping. And typically they dole out some of the nicest compliments I ever get. My top favorites:

"Wow! Look at you! You remind me of myself, with my 4!! I know you're a busy momma!"

"That baby has more hair than I do. But I bet I still have more teeth!"

"What wonderful children you have! They are so well behaved." (Then my 2 year old in the cart bit my hand) "Don't worry Honey, they don't leave scars!"

And I would have to say that I get 6 nice compliments to every horrid one. But I still am baffled why some one would go out of their way to say unkind things to me.

It's not like I'm walking around with 7 children who are whining, crying, running away, or tearing things off the shelves. I'm not screaming or yelling. (to me 7 seems like a lot, not 5, not 6, but 7.....)

I usually brush off most comments. I wish I was a person with quick wit....I never have a comeback for the negative ones. (I always think of them on the way home!) But it makes me wonder, what is a lady who takes 4 kids to the store supposed to be like?

.....maybe it's the crazy look in my eye?