Here's the Baby Lady...

It probably won't surprise you to learn that once you have more than one child, things are little bit more difficult.  Everything takes just a little bit longer to do and you look a little bit more ridiculous doing them.  The number of times I have slowly walked down our steep driveway with a baby in a carseat over one arm while carrying a loaded bag of library books, my purse, a diaper bag, a cup of coffee, and a toddler hand in my other hand--well it's happened just a few too many times.  Or walking up our road with the baby on my back in a backpack and a toddler on my hip...I know I look ridiculous, and I've come to accept that.  But has society?

What I was not prepared for once I had two children was how society's view of me would change.  When you run to the grocery store or post office with a darling baby with you, people will stop you and ooh and ahh.  They will coo at your baby and say some trivial thing to you like "Aren't you lucky--they grow up so fast don't they? How precious..."  And you can leave the conversation with your parent ego ballooning.  But after you have another...the conversation changes.  They still come up to you, oh yes, they do.  But instead of cooing at your children, they direct their comments of worry to you: "Oh my, you have your hands full!"  "I bet they keep you busy, huh!" "Oh sisters! They'll be friends after all those years of fighting!"  Thanks folks.

Last week I was doing my normal jaunt to the grocery store.  With the baby bouncing in a backpack on my back and the toddler holding pints of blueberries in the seat of the cart, I approached the checkout line.  As I was unloading my cart (which mind you, is no easy task) I heard the employee that bags the groceries say to the cashier: "Here's the baby lady!"  I was shocked. Baby lady?  Does having two children really constitute being a "baby lady"?  I think to myself, "Surely not!" I wonder, if someone has two cats, do I consider them a "cat lady"?  Surely an even dozen would more accurately earn the title of "Baby Lady".  I instantly feel as if now I'm some crazy cat/baby lady that carries my meowing children around with me everywhere I go.  People dart across the street to get away from "The Baby Lady".  I'm left with the feeling that society sees one baby as cute and darling, but two is just obscene or crazy.

For some reason having children or being pregnant proclaims to the world that they can walk up to you and say remarkably personal things.  It's frustrating.  And parents and soon-to-be parents, if we listen to all their comments, the human race might cease to exist.  Unfortunately, I don't think this behavior will stop, so I'll just say to you all: Please don't listen to them.  Having more than one child is incredible, fun, difficult and chaotic--and society should be grateful that we're willing to take on such a task!