We've crossed the line into crazy.........

[Canadianmumof5]

Conversation at the ball diamond between me & another mom:

 

Mom: Wow! Congratulations. When are you due?

Me: Thanks. Due in October.

Mom: (seeing that I was only there with the boys, DD was at soccer) Oh so trying for a girl this time?

Me: Nope. We already have a daughter.

Mom: So this is your 5th baby?

Me: Yes, this is #5.

Mom: Wow! All from the same dad?

Me: Yes.

Mom: Good for you.

 

:lol: It was just so funny that I couldn't even be offended. Is this what the world has come to? You have more than the standard 2.2 children and people make assumptions about you....... too funny.

 

DH said having 3 was more than the average but still socially acceptable, 4 was pushing it but people were genuinely still happy & in awe, with 5 we have crossed the line into crazy territory!!! :lol:

[Rosie_0801]

I got the same thing when pregnant with my second. The lack of wedding ring doesn't mean I sleep around. :glare:

 

At least you got congratulated I guess? It shows she admires your dedication or something? :confused:

 

:rolleyes:

Rosie

[LaxMom]

That's entirely true! Weird, isn't it? I think traveling in a pack of homeschoolers has skwewed my view. I hear myself saying things like I "only" have 4. :lol:

 

Rosie, I had the same thing (after the insane questions/comments about fertility, etc) after the boys were born. My rings didn't fit.

 

People are stupid, but sometimes they're so stupid it's comical.

Edited May 30, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse

[Belacqua]

 

At least you got congratulated I guess? It shows she admires your dedication or something? :confused:

 

:rolleyes:

Rosie

 

Maybe every baby with the same dad is another punch in your frequency card (twins on Double Punch Tuesday!). How many until you get a free baby?

[Canadianmumof5]

Maybe every baby with the same dad is another punch in your frequency card (twins on Double Punch Tuesday!). How many until you get a free baby?

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Maybe every baby with the same dad is another punch in your frequency card (twins on Double Punch Tuesday!). How many until you get a free baby?

 

:smilielol5:

[Canadianmumof5]

That's entirely true! Weird, isn't it? I think traveling in a pack of homeschoolers has skwewed my view. I hear myself saying things like I "only" have 4. :lol:

 

Rosie, I had the same thing (after the insane questions/comments about fertility, etc) after the boys were born. My rings didn't fit.

 

People are stupid, but sometimes they're so stupid it's comical.

 

:iagree: Oh my gosh - yes! I feel like such an amateur with my 4+1!! We are so behind. Even the kids have noticed!!! DS5 says that Family X is "winning" because they have 9 and we only have 4 :lol:

[Zoo Keeper]

 

DH said having 3 was more than the average but still socially acceptable, 4 was pushing it but people were genuinely still happy & in awe, with 5 we have crossed the line into crazy territory!!! :lol:

 

We found this to be true when we had #5. For some reason, most folks think having five (or more) children is ... insane.

 

I might be crazy, but I didn't think it was that obvious...;)

[*Michelle*]

:lol:

 

My favorite is when I'm out alone and women my age strike up conversation with delivery and baby advice. The look on their faces when I tell them this is our fifth is priceless.

 

I've never had paternity questions, though.:D

[Susan in TN]

When strangers see me with my 6 kids, I suspect that they automatically think they have different dads - my 2 oldest have dark brown hair and there is a noticable "gap" in ages between them and my 4 youngest, who are all blonde. :)

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe every baby with the same dad is another punch in your frequency card (twins on Double Punch Tuesday!). How many until you get a free baby?

 

:svengo:

 

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Jennifer in MI]

Phew!!! Good to know I'm not crazy! I've only got four.

[mama2cntrykids]

I think I've mentioned this on here before, but, with my two boys (same father), one is blonde/blue, fairly light skinned; one is brown/brown, fairly dark skin.

 

After my ex -h left us we were living in ghetto-ville. So named b/c they were low income apts in a tiny town and the po-po were there almost daily.

 

Well, there was one young *lady* (using the term loosely here) who actually confronted me saying that my darker boy MUST be half Mexican and that the two boys couldn't be full-blood brothers:glare:. At the time, I was kinda like :001_huh::glare:, but quickly got over it and was more like :lol:. Hey, if she wants to be dense, that's her deal:lol:.

[swellmomma]

We found this to be true when we had #5. For some reason, most folks think having five (or more) children is ... insane.

 

I might be crazy, but I didn't think it was that obvious...;)

 

They are right ;) I know I would be insane to have another :tongue_smilie:

 

I have caught myself saying the "I only have 4". along with "yes they are all mine"

[KirstenH]

I was under the impression that you don't really earn your large family street cred until you have to upgrade to The Van. (You know The Van of which I speak. It is not "mini.") I think that happens at child #6, doesn't it?

Edited May 31, 2012 by KirstenH

[Onceuponatime]

yeah. When I hit 3 kids I was asked if I was trying to catch up with -----, who had 8 at the time. When I had 4 and 5 I got people telling my husband in front of me, "Well, you can't deny they are yours." (All my kids take after dh not me.)

 

That still leaves me ????

[FO4UR]

Well...we are expecting #4...and there is a 6 year age gap...and yes, they are all from the same dad...we still drive the "mini"...

 

 

Can I still join your crazy club? If this little bean turns out to be born on Double Punch Tuesday, I'll get the 2for1 deal - free baby!!! I'd meet the crazy quota then, right?

[wapiti]

I was under the impression that you don't really earn your large family street cred until you have to upgrade to The Van. (You know The Van of which I speak. It is not "mini.") I think that happens at child #6, doesn't it?

 

We fit into a Suburban with 6 kids, so I think the Van doesn't happen until 7.

[KrissiK]

We found this to be true when we had #5. For some reason, most folks think having five (or more) children is ... insane.

 

I might be crazy, but I didn't think it was that obvious...;)

 

:iagree: when we had three no one even looked twice. Now that we have five we get stares and the brave ones ask, "are they all yours?"

 

And no, mine aren't all from the same father, but not for the reason you might think.

Edited May 31, 2012 by KrissiK

[Mommyfaithe]

We fit into a Suburban with 6 kids, so I think the Van doesn't happen until 7.

 

Oh, I had THE VAN! I just got to downsize! wOOT!

[Onceuponatime]

I was under the impression that you don't really earn your large family street cred until you have to upgrade to The Van. (You know The Van of which I speak. It is not "mini.") I think that happens at child #6, doesn't it?

 

We got a full size conversion van after #5. It was wonderful while it lasted, lots of room for people to spread out. It died after #1 was married and #2 had his own car. We are back in a mini.

[Julie Smith]

I think I've mentioned this on here before, but, with my two boys (same father), one is blonde/blue, fairly light skinned; one is brown/brown, fairly dark skin.

 

After my ex -h left us we were living in ghetto-ville. So named b/c they were low income apts in a tiny town and the po-po were there almost daily.

 

Well, there was one young *lady* (using the term loosely here) who actually confronted me saying that my darker boy MUST be half Mexican and that the two boys couldn't be full-blood brothers:glare:. At the time, I was kinda like :001_huh::glare:, but quickly got over it and was more like :lol:. Hey, if she wants to be dense, that's her deal:lol:.

 

Your story reminded me of an article about twins with very different skin coloring.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123050/Look-The-black-white-twins-turn-seven.html

[dalynnrmc]

Maybe every baby with the same dad is another punch in your frequency card (twins on Double Punch Tuesday!). How many until you get a free baby?

 

You're so funny... hahahaha... insert sarcasm here, and then read my siggie. ;)

 

(And then giggle with me for real, because it's true! LOL)

 

ETA: and we drive "the van" - was a necessity with two infant car seats AND a "big boy" preteen. ;) Tossing the babies in from the back hatch just wasn't happening much longer.... You think I'm joking. I'm very much not. Where's that smiley that faints?? I need him....

Edited May 31, 2012 by dalynnrmc

[BlsdMama]

Conversation at the ball diamond between me & another mom:

 

Mom: Wow! Congratulations. When are you due?

Me: Thanks. Due in October.

Mom: (seeing that I was only there with the boys, DD was at soccer) Oh so trying for a girl this time?

Me: Nope. We already have a daughter.

Mom: So this is your 5th baby?

Me: Yes, this is #5.

Mom: Wow! All from the same dad?

Me: Yes.

Mom: Good for you.

 

:lol: It was just so funny that I couldn't even be offended. Is this what the world has come to? You have more than the standard 2.2 children and people make assumptions about you....... too funny.

 

DH said having 3 was more than the average but still socially acceptable, 4 was pushing it but people were genuinely still happy & in awe, with 5 we have crossed the line into crazy territory!!! :lol:

 

Love the same dad comment.

 

I get that one every once in a while, especially as oldest DD is 16 and has super curly brown hair and most of the others run to blondes and straight hair. Sigh. I don't say it, but the things I think in reply sometimes.....

 

 

You know out of all the surprising things one could share about having a large family (the noise, the chaos, the food budget, the amount of laundry, etc.) I think the MOST surprising thing to "normal" people would be the sure AMOUNT of comments one gets. Truly imagine not being able to go to a single place with your children (not the movies, the hair place, the doctor, the dentist, the mall, etc) and not being stopped by strangers to "explain" the kids. If it's Costco you might as well add another 30-60 minutes to your trip. I'm not hostile and truly I've come to even enjoy it most of the time, but it can get a little overwhelming especially if you just want to get the groceries and get out, lol.

Edited May 31, 2012 by BlsdMama

[Lab1]

When I had #4 I was asked if I ran a daycare by a maintenance guy working on our house. He was embarrassd and apologised. I'm in Utah! Surely 4 isn't at daycare level!

 

I have two that are dark haired, brown eyed with darker skin and two blond, blue eyed beyond fair kids. I have one of each type in my "sets" of kids. The blond kids look like me, the darker ones look like my mom and brother. All kids by the same father but there is a 6 yr gap between my boys and girls.

[Pod's mum]

I 'only' had two, to the same father, but I won naming rights for the youngest.

I kept my Sir Name and the younger has mine.

Funnily enough we were unmarried when the first was born, who had her Dad's name and were married, much later, when the younger with my name was born.

They looked just like each other though.

Now it's just the younger and I, so I love that we share my father's family name.

[Mom in High Heels]

That's hilarious. People say such odd things. We only have 2 but because of the age gap (8.5 years) many people assume they are half siblings. A while back we were out and some lady was admiring Han Solo (Who wouldn't? He's adorable) and commented how strange it was to see half-siblings who looked so much alike. Huh? Indy asked her what she meant and she said most kids who have only one parent in common don't look so similar. He told her (very firmly) that they did have the same parents and were full siblings. She looked confused and said to me "They belong to both you and your husband?" Um, yeah.

[JessReplanted]

"Good for you."

 

 

:lol:

[LaxMom]

"Good for you."

 

 

:lol:

 

I know... Is that a "good for you" sticking with the same baby-daddy, or admiration for your, uh, "efforts"? :lol:

[Catherine]

When I was pregnant with my third (hardly a Duggar-size family, I thought) someone I barely knew asked me if it was an unplanned pregnancy!!

[Leanna Tomlinson]

So what comes after crazy? I think we just got promoted. See my sig.

 

As our news spread, the most usual response has been hysterical laughter.

 

Of course as news of our pregnancy reaches new ears, people can't process it. Many have been SURE that the rumor mill is wrong and that it's my soon to be married daughter who is expecting and not me!

 

And tell me WHO is going to believe that all my kids have the same dad!?!?

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Love the same dad comment.

 

Truly imagine not being able to go to a single place with your children (not the movies, the hair place, the doctor, the dentist, the mall, etc) and not being stopped by strangers to "explain" the kids.

 

This....and the being counted at stoplights. My kids used to start counting people that counted them. :)

[Kelly1730]

So what comes after crazy? I think we just got promoted. See my sig.

 

As our news spread, the most usual response has been hysterical laughter.

 

Of course as news of our pregnancy reaches new ears, people can't process it. Many have been SURE that the rumor mill is wrong and that it's my soon to be married daughter who is expecting and not me!

 

And tell me WHO is going to believe that all my kids have the same dad!?!?

 

BTDT! When I was expecting our twins (#5&6) my olders were 19, 17, 14 and 10. Our Pastor referred to me as "Sarah" for pete's sake! :tongue_smilie: And I'm assuming because of the 10 year age gap between my then youngest and my pregnancy, I also was asked if they were "all from the same father?". Who says that?:001_huh:

[amy g.]

When I tell people we have 5 children, they usually are surprised that they are all from the same marriage/father.

 

Then they ask, "So when did they let you out of the asylum?"

[Berta]

We have four kids. I wish I could get my DH to realize that five really isn't too many but that hasn't happened..yet.

 

My two boys have the same father and look nothing alike. One is dark haired and the other is blond. My two girls are adopted, our youngest is Asian. Our family portraits look like you took six strangers and threw them all together for a picture. It's very obvious that our youngest (adopted from China) is adopted. When people see all four of my kids they always ask if ALL of them are adopted. I have responded with two of them are adopted, but I don't remember which ones. That usually shuts them up.

 

It still amazes me how some people think they have a right to comment and know every thing about our family.

[Mommyfaithe]

I remember the pediatrician saying as he pointed to my kids: "You are an < last name>, And YOU are an <last name>.....and You are an < last name>. All around the room. WOW! I don't see THAT anymore! ". :001_huh::001_huh:

 

OHHHHHKAY!

[JVA]

Oh, so true ! And more so, if you have a big age spread like we do. People assume there are different fathers. When our twins were 15, we were able to have our youngest - #5. The looks and questions....well, I could write a BOOK.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Yep, got the same question the other day at a picnic when the person heard the ages of my children.

[AHASRADA]

When I was pg. with caboose dd, my OB must have asked me at least 3 times, on different occasions, if this baby had the same father as my other 2. She seemed so thrilled this was the case, as if she was proud of me for such a great accomplishment! :001_huh: She actually said, all giddy, "Oh, so now he'll grow old with you!", as if this baby would permanently bind dh to me in a way he wasn't before :confused: I eventually switched to a group of midwives, who made no personal comments or questions whatsoever. :tongue_smilie:

 

Still, I understand that, when seeing a family with 2 teens, a boy and a girl, plus a toddler, the first assumption would be teens are from a 1st marriage, and the baby is the product of a new relationship. People don't automatically assume we've been married for 20 years and just decided to have "one more" after an 11 year gap! :D

 

For this reason, while most people don't actually comment, I sometimes find myself saying, "Yup, all with the same husband!", to answer the question I know they're thinking. I guess maybe I am a little proud of that! ;)

[FaithManor]

In our area, 3 is the absolute maximum. The "norm" is two although singles are becoming more common. 3 is just out there...so when we had 4, well, the eyeballs rolled, the unwelcome comments came pouring in.

 

Now, my mom suffered the worst. She and dad had my brother and I when they were in their early 20's. They did not intend on having anymore and then when mom was 36, she got pregnant. Well, the old ladies at the church just about laid eggs! Basically, my mom spent the entire pregnancy hiding because everywhere she went the general public acted like they were witnessing the oldest woman in history with child. My dad would get so mad because he actually had older men tell him his wife was too old to have a baby and would probably die in childbirth!

 

Yes, I grew up in a VERY backward village of gossipy, know-it-alls who knew pretty much NOTHING! I was so sad for my mom because she just got to the place she didn't want to leave the house because people would not censor themselves.

 

By the way, I really like my baby sister! :D I'm glad my "ancient" mother decided to keep her. :lol: (Oh yes, one pastor's wife suggested my parents place her up for adoption so they wouldn't be "old" and still raising a teenager...51 at high school graduation was apparently Pre-historic! :glare:)

 

Op, it is truly startling what will come out of peoples' mouths! Somewhere along the way, the American public lost that warning chip between their brain and their tongue that used to warn people that, "This is rude, don't say it outloud."

 

Congrats on 5. We would have had one more and let the tongues wag mightily if it had not been for my health.

 

Faith

[Carrie12345]

I hate the "Same dad?" question b/c #1 does have a different father, but dh has been raising him since toddlerhood.

And #2 and 5 look alike, while 3 and 4 look alike. The two "sets" are complete opposites.

 

But, yes, we get the "crazy" reaction all the time. Mostly from non-homeschoolers, of course! (Though homeschoolers are surprised when they discover we have 5 and are not religious!)

[Caroline]

I only have four, but I get, "Does your oldest have a different mom?" DS17 looks just like his dad, except DS 17 is taller, skinnier, and has a more stylish haircut. I am a strawberry blonde, DH's father was from India. Our eldest gets his coloring from DH. The other kids are blonde. (But they all tan, unlike me.)

[BlsdMama]

This....and the being counted at stoplights. My kids used to start counting people that counted them. :)

 

 

LOL! This is TOTALLY new to me! Our old van had VERY dark windows and you couldn't see clearly inside the van. The new van has bigger windows and you can... Too funny!

[Mandylubug]

With four I will always get the comment "Are they ALL yours?" me: yes. then, the second question is inevitable..it is so inevitable that all four kids answer together, in one voice "Do you have TWO sets of twins?!" Me and the kids : NO!

 

The girls are identical but my boys are only 11 months apart and look very similar. All four are near the same height.. My oldest two are a wee bit taller than my younger two...

 

I then, being in a southern town, always get the comment "You have your arms full, Bless your heart!"

[saraha]

I was under the impression that you don't really earn your large family street cred until you have to upgrade to The Van. (You know The Van of which I speak. It is not "mini.") I think that happens at child #6, doesn't it?

 

 

:smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5:

 

We bought ours last year! Does anyone else have one of these?

[MeaganS]

I only have 3, but I'm the oldest of six, so I well remember all the comments we used to get. We all look the same, so most people didn't assume different fathers, but my mother looks young for her age. She had me when she was in her early 20s, but for some reason when people see us together, they usually think I'm her sister. When they find out she's not only my mother, but that she has 5 other children, they almost always say something along the lines of "you must have only been sixteen or something when you started having kids!"

 

She started joking that anytime people asked about her kids, she should say, "Yes, they're all mine. Yes, they all have the same father, and I was in my 20s when I started having them." Now she sort of likes that people assume she was a teenage mom. She finds if flattering. :lol:

[Tarreymere]

I marched my troop into a grocery checkout line once, carrying a rotessarie (sp?) chicken. The checkout lady took one look and told me in an annoyed voice "You know that food stamps don't cover that chicken, right?"

 

Um, big family doesn't necessarily equal food stamps, lady. I actually have a debit card.......

 

 

And yes, they have different fathers. Husband number one died in his twenties, and I'm quite sure he would have wanted me to re-marry. Oh, and I forgot, some of them ARE adopted, meaning we actually went out and picked out even more kids and actually paid money to add them to the family. They others, well, they are foster kids but we don't get money for THEM because it's kinship care which means we are sort of related to them in the first place (they are our adopted daughter's half-siblings).

 

 

You think YOU get the crazy eyes?

 

Anyway, welcome to the club!

Edited May 31, 2012 by Rainefox

[FaithManor]

I marched my troop into a grocery checkout line once, carrying a rotessarie (sp?) chicken. The checkout lady took one look and told me in an annoyed voice "You know that food stamps don't cover that chicken, right?"

 

Um, big family doesn't necessarily equal food stamps, lady. I actually have a debit card.......

 

 

And yes, they have different fathers. Husband number one died in his twenties, and I'm quite sure he would have wanted me to re-marry. Oh, and I forgot, some of them ARE adopted, meaning we actually went out and picked out even more kids and actually paid money to add them to the family. They others, well, they are foster kids but we don't get money for THEM because it's kinship care which means we are sort of related to them in the first place (they are our adopted daughter's half-siblings).

 

 

You think YOU get the crazy eyes?

 

Anyway, welcome to the club!

 

Wow! People are just soooooooo incredibly rude. I don't know why they think that every stupid thought they have should be given breath.

 

I think it stinks that you do not receive any stipend for raising the fosters.

 

Faith

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

 

DH said having 3 was more than the average but still socially acceptable, 4 was pushing it but people were genuinely still happy & in awe, with 5 we have crossed the line into crazy territory!!! :lol:

 

We just had our fifth three months ago. I hang out with other homeschooling mamas and most of my friends have 4+ kids. But dh said that people at work are starting to question if we are done yet. Haha. Wonder what they'll say when/if we have more. :)

[Canadianmumof5]

We just had our fifth three months ago. I hang out with other homeschooling mamas and most of my friends have 4+ kids. But dh said that people at work are starting to question if we are done yet. Haha. Wonder what they'll say when/if we have more. :)

 

My DH hasn't even told anyone at work that we are expecting #5!!! He says he doesn't want to deal with all the gasps, stares, etc. He said he will tell them once baby arrives :001_huh: