Questions

Do you ever hear the same question from strangers so often that you can finish the question for them? It seems like when people see me only one (or two) things come to mind. Either that makes me super special, or extremely boring.

Before I was married, the question I heard most of all was "did you play basketball (or volleyball)?" I guess that is a reasonable question since I am 6'0", but is that the only thing I can do as a tall person? If I had webbed fingers would I be asked if I was a swimmer? I always felt as if I was a disappointment every time I told the stranger 'no' as if I was putting to waste my valuable height. If they only knew of my lack of coordination, they would not be so surprised.

Now that I'm married with children I no longer am plagued by this everpresent question. Maybe I don't look as athletic as I once used to or maybe having a child clinging to me obliterates the possibility. I don't know if I should be offended or relieved at not hearing it anymore. But now I don't have to watch their eyes turn from excitement to disappointment.

But now I have a new question that I hear just as often. It always happens when Matthew is with me. "Where did he get that red hair?" If Jeremy isn't there they always assume that the father can take the credit. But obviously Jeremy is less a cause than I am with his olive complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes. I would love to throw out crazy answers but I think the stranger may take it as an affront to their intelligence. But seriously, how do you answer the same question over and over without getting a little annoyed? Occasionally I will give a different answer to someone who I know will not be offended. "We dye it," or "he's adopted" I might say. I would love to look at them oddly and tell them he gets it from me and see how they react. Lately Matthew takes care of it for me and angrily says, "it's not red, it's orange!" I realize that people are naturally social beings and that these questions are easy ways to start a conversation. But having heard them so many times, they are pretty much conversation enders.

Tied Up in Knots

This is how I find Corinne after naps some days. That big thing hanging from her hair is a knot that she twisted into her hair. This is why her hair keeps getting shorter on the one side. And it doesn't matter how I do her hair or how many rubber bands are in her hair super tight, she manages to pull some hair out and twist it up into knots. I am so tempted just to cut her hair super short. I will definitely post a picture if I do. So keep posted.

Happy Noon!

At our local Children's Museum they had a countdown to noon on New Year's Eve. We decided to brave the snowstorm and head on over. Matthew and Corinne decorated hats for Jeremy and me to wear and received their noisemakers for the countdown.

Jeremy looks so excited. And here is the ball that dropped for the New Year. Corinne decided she needed to go up and play with it after it dropped along with some other wayward children. I guess it is the Children's Museum. We had fun and left shortly afterwards because it was definitely nap time.