I have a 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 year old.
And some older kids. But at 8, 10, 15 and 20, not quite as mathematically interesting.
This stair-step age phenomenon only lasts from February to June, when Isabelle has another birthday and throws it all askew until the next February.
And I have to think a bit harder when curious folks ask my how old my kids are.
Yesterday, as I was checking out at Target, the cashier and I got to talking about the kids, their ages and my heavily laden shopping cart.
And she commented that I was remarkably serene, considering all the craziness that all my littles must generate. I smiled and thanked her, and said something aww-shucks like. Target, with a shopping cart full of children, makes me feel anything but serene.
But as I pushed my big ol’ cart away from the check out, I thought, “Wow! Maybe, just maybe, I really am getting it together! That Target lady thought I looked serene!”
Then she called out, as I was making my way to the sliding exit doors…
“Ma’am?”
I stopped and turned around. Serenely, of course.
“You forgot your groceries.”
I can do that too……….without any kids!!!!!!!!!
hahaha that was too cute! At least you didn't forget the kids 🙂
Thanks for the chuckle this morning, Stefanie! And if it makes you feel any more "serene", I do that with only ONE child!! 😉
Hugs!!
That is HILARIOUS!!!
I often think of you and your many peeps when I am living life with my 3 . . . how on earth do you do it??? I tend to put you into hero status.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Amy
This one made me laugh out loud! Granted, I've only got 3 "stair steps" but I can SO relate to this!!! Glad to know it's not just me! 🙂
Hey at least it was the groceries and not the kids!
isn't it funny how we get to feeling a little good about ourselves and then WHAM…reality hits. =) i think i left 2 dozen eggs at the commissary last week. I would have sworn i bought them, and even bagged them! but when i went to get them out of the fridge they were no where to be seen. and i don't even want to tell you how many times i've left my id on top of the self check thingie….and i usually only have 1 or 2 kiddos with me! I think you're awesome no matter how many groceries you leave behind. You remembered the most important things! =)
Thanks for the huge smile!
You "keep it real" and genteel. Thanks.
Hillarious! I got a good chuckle out of that and have done that a time or two myself!
I love your posts….
When that happened you had no idea how many moms could laugh with you today!
Tooooo cute. Mine are 6, almost 5, 4, just 4 and 18 months. We get lots of curious looks too.
LOL! At least you had remembered the kids! 🙂
Been there, done that! I also was at Target when I did!
And then there was the time I started to walk out of the grocery without paying for my stuff…
BTDT and with only 5 kids!!! LOL!!!
HA! HA! You know the 2,3,4,5, and 6 DOES SOUND daunting when you put it that way!
Serene huh? I think that is EXCELLENT!
Hilarious!!! and priceless!!! 🙂
Oh my goodness, I got the biggest kick out of that! LOL!
You are serene though. To have that many kids, I take my hat off to you. Seriously.
I've done it, before getting my girl. I know, how pathetic!
Jill
HaHaHaHa! That was hillarious! But I'm with Sophie…at least you didn't forget the kids! 😉
You're still a superhero in my book, Stef!!
Hugs,
Tanya
Love it! Thanks for making me giggle!
Karen
Oh my gosh, the kids just asked me what was so funny! That was great. I'm thinking you were having this "moment" and than WHAM….back to reality! HAHA!! TOo cute!
lol…..seriously….LOL
Too funny!
LOL! It's all about LOOKING serene! 🙂
I'm a everyday lurker on your blog… but just had to comment this time.
Priceless.
Deb
I soooo relate! 🙂 With only two children in our home at the time, i left the groceries at the store, went all the way home…and then realized i forgot the groceries. I'm still the same person…even before kids. 🙂
I laughed so hard when I read this!! I've done this a few times lately, and I only have ONE just turned two year old.
Gin =)
Thanks for the grins……you still are "serene" in my book….
Snicker snicker snicker!
TOO FUNNY!
I'm loving catching up on your posts! Coming here is so refreshing! Thanks for being "with" me on our trip, friend! 😉
Hahaha!! Thanks for the laugh! We are All guilty of doing that at times, though! At least I can say, "Been there, done that!"
Better than forgeting a kid!!!! At least you are not having Target cashiers telling you that you don't need the baby coupons that just came out with the reciept any longer…that you are out of that stage!!! I haven't been back to Target since!!! 🙂
haha.. that is great! Thanks for sharing in the embarrassing moments.
I have done that and I only have 3 and only one of them is a little. You are remarkable and serene and normal…I love it!
HYSTERICAL!
Do you take all of them to the store by yourself? I can't even imagine serene being possible. Good for you! You are an awesome Mama!
Tammy
so funny. I've done that too many times to count – and I only have a 3,7,11 & 13 year old 🙂
Bwaahahahaa that was hilarious! 🙂
ROFL!!! STIll Laughing because that soooo sounds like me!!! I have had many, many moments in Walmart and Target! I finally decided to start leaving most of my kiddies at home…but then where are my helpers when I need to load the car??
Blessings,
Melanie
Oh, thank you so much for the great laugh!!
That is a day maker- for me at least!
You deserve a medal for bringing them all to T@rget!
Too funny. I've done that before (and it wasn't after someone commented that I looked serene). You need to let us all in on the secret of how you do it all and do it so beautifully.
Thanks for the laugh.
Kathie
Stef – you sure have a handle on real life!
hugs – aus and co.
That's so funny!
You really are a fabulous writer and how you do it with all those kids in the house is what really amazes me.
Forgetting the groceries…I've done that with half the kids you have :). In fact, we did much stupider things before we even had kids (should have known then we were in big trouble). We once did a huge grocery shopping and on the way home, thinking we were really organized and efficient, decided to go to the car wash. We went through one of those automatic drive-through washes where you just sit in the car (smugly feeling on top of our lives). When we were all washed and dried and out of the other end, we looked at each other, horrified as we realized that our groceries, because we were driving a pick-up truck, were all in the back. Everything was soaked…the eggs were smashed…what a mess! I think the guy who washed our tires before we headed through the was must have had a good laugh. So, five children later, you can only imagine how many times the "target scenario" has played out in our lives 🙂 A sense of humor is the most important thing with all these kids and yours is well developed!!!
Love your transparency, Momma Bear!! We've all forgotten SOMETHING at SOMETIME (again, thankfully it wasn't breathing!)
Or was it??
Been there, done that! Even with the same thoughts going through my head!
How funny!! Totally laughing out loud at this!
Thanks for the laugh. Sadly, I can so relate and at the moment I have only one child!! ….Yikes!!!! Can you picture me with 2 down the road?? Ha ha 🙂
Sounds familiar. LOL!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim
Thanks for the giggle, loved the story! You are an amazingly calm momma…
We have that cool age thingy for a few months each year too! Love it. As of July, they will be 5,6 and 7…but I rarely take them all to the store with me! And yours are younger and more of em. 🙂 You are a wonder-woman kind of MaMa!
Ummm, guilty on the same charge…only two kids in tow, what on earth is my excuse? 😉