How Do I Do It?

I was walking through Pike Place Market with Wanda in the stroller last week when a woman came up and started making a big fuss over her, as she should. Wanda is unstoppably edible and adorable.

“What a cutie!” she gushed and just then Magoo walked around from where he was hiding behind my legs.

“Oh my!” she exclaimed, “You’ve got two of them. How do you do it?”

She was being awfully sweet but I couldn’t help myself.

“It’s easy,” I said, “I just send the third one off to school every morning.”

She startled and we both laughed but honestly things are easier with Laylee by my side. That girl could practically take care of Wanda herself if she had, you know, mammaries, and if Wanda didn’t weigh as much as she does.

(This picture was taken 2 months ago and Wanda’s about doubled in size. I really need to take a new one of the two of them together. It’s quite hilarious. Which girl is older? You can tell by the drool. And yes, I made the sock monkey pants.)

christmas eve

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16 Responses to How Do I Do It?

  1. Gorgeous! What a beautiful family!

  2. Mother of the Wild Boys says:

    I love the comeback!

  3. Jess says:

    What strikes me the most about those comments is, for me at least, they always seem to come when my children are being really good and walking through whatever public place like mini-adults. “You must have your hands full!” Really? Just because I’ve got one in the cart and another following me and neither being louder or more obnoxious than that teenager over there??

  4. Heather says:

    Wow, that is amazing! I can’t believe the size comparison with Laylee and Wanda. I am dying to see another photo. Hurry, take it, and post!

  5. Kork says:

    How adorable are they?!?!?! Such a great picture…so cute.

    I always enjoy those comments and conversations, mostly because they come from random strangers…my all-time favorite? The elderly cashier at Target the other day who noticed my pink and blue packages of disposable night-time training pants and said very seriously, “You must have your hands full with 2 in diapers. Oh! And another one on the way! You don’t see that much anymore these days!”

    Made me wonder what precisely he didn’t see…the pregnant people, or those who had children close together in age…hmmmm…

  6. Collette says:

    Katie…your kiddos are adorable! My bro-in-law lives in Seattle right now…if he was going to be there longer than this summer, which coincides with us graduating and moving, we’d go visit and I’d love to catch up with you. Perhaps we’ll have to make it a stop another time!

  7. Mir says:

    I want a pair of sock monkey pants. *pouting*

  8. Allison says:

    I get that a lot, too. To be honest, I’m so used to doing things with multiple children that the rare times I get to go places alone I almost don’t know how to function.

    Also, I want some sock monkey pants, too!

  9. Natalie says:

    I think no matter how many children a person has, people will say it. I think they just like to make conversation…that is until you have five 6 and under and you’re pregnant again…then they are just being nosy. ; )
    That is one FAT baby. I LOVE it! All of mine were fat fat fat.
    You have such a beautiful family! Congrats!

  10. grammyelin says:

    I had a similar, but not so pleasant conversation when I was expecting our third.

    I was shopping with our 4 year old and my gynormous belly, when the older lady in line started chatting with my pre-schooler. Aren’t you lucky to be having a new baby…blah, blah, blah?

    When who should come around the corner, but Daddy with your 2 year old self (looking adorable, I might add) in the stroller. Your “Hi Mommy.” was greeted with HORRIFIED disbelief on her part.

    “Is that one yours too? Well I guess you’ll be getting your tubes tied now, won’t you?”

    I needed this from a stranger in Sears? Now, I’m not saying that I had the next two just to spite the old bag. But it just might have entered into the equation just a smidge.

  11. Beck says:

    I always loved that How Do You Do It question. What CAN one answer to that?
    (your kids are ADORABLE!)

  12. Wendy says:

    i’ve heard, if you do it right, you get the bigger ones handling the little ones, but i just one so…that theory leaves me screwed!

  13. Heather says:

    You are right up there w/ the Duggers!

  14. Amy says:

    I don’t think I’ve ever commented here before but had to chime in. We also live “near” Seattle and are currently working on our #3 baby. So, I’m pregnant with a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old. I swear, I have never in my life had more commentators about the number of children I have than I have since we moved here! Seriously, we moved from NV and no one every blinked an eye, but here, even before I was visibly pregnant, everyone, esp in the Seattle Metro area felt compelled to comment about my hand being full or some equivalent. And that’s when they’re both strapped into the stroller and being good! 🙂 What can you do, right?

  15. Aww this photo makes me smile. And Laylee is a wonderful elder sister! 🙂

  16. Margaret says:

    Have I mentioned lately that I adore your mother? 🙂

    And your kids are adorable – I can’t believe how grown-up Laylee and Magoo are!!!

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