A few posts back, I blogged about awkward conversations and asked for advice on how to answer the questions that I kept being asked, time and time again, during these conversations.
Well, the past couple of weeks....we've hit a new level of awkwardness in public. This one makes me laugh a bit, so I thought I'd share it with you, and let you giggle along with me.
The past couple of weeks, Rascal #2 (age 6) has been talking about Peter a lot. Asking about when he'll be able to come home, telling us about things he wants to teach him to do, making comments about how we'll have to buy Peter his own bike (while riding his own bike outside), things like that. I can tell that he's trying to process everything in his mind, and seeing as he's the most sensitive and introverted of our three boys, I can see that he's starting to really understand and get excited for Peter to join our family. It's very fun to watch, as a parent.
Rascal #2 has always been our "shy-est" child when it comes to public interactions, too. The past year of homeschooling, I think, has really helped boost his confidence level, though. He's able to learn things on his own timetable, and really get to a point of excelling with a skill, before having to do it for an "audience." A large classroom was torturous for him at times, but most especially when he had to answer questions or perform a new skill in front of a group of peers for the first time. His increased confidence level has led to some interesting moments, though. He's finally answering questions asked of him by people out in public (things like those sitting around us at church, or whatnot - I'm not talking about walking up to total strangers and having detailed conversations, don't worry!). Seeing as he's just recently turned 6, sometimes those answers can be pretty funny!
Anywho, I tell you all of this only to set the stage for the conversation that's now happened three times with strangers in public. It's pretty common - especially when I'm out and about on my own with the three boys - for people to comment on the fact that our family consists of three little boys. It's typically an older (read: grandma age) woman, and the conversation typically starts with her admitting that she had 1, 2, or 3 boys herself, and how much fun she had with her own boys. I've gotten used to these comments and conversations, and I actually kind of enjoy them. I do enjoy my boys - even on their most energetic of days! - and I enjoy seeing the smiles that they bring to these women's faces.
Recently, though, Rascal #2 is causing a few awkward pauses when we're in the midst of these conversations. How?
By saying something like:
"Soon we'll have FOUR little boys!"
"Soon we'll have FOUR little boys!"
or
"Wait until there are FOUR of us boys!"
or
"When Peter gets here, we'll have FOUR little boys!"
It inevitably causes the woman to try and take a discreet glance at my midsection, which, while I've lost 40 pounds in the past year, is still a bit lumpy and oversized. Depending on what shirt I'm wearing, it could be really hard to tell whether or not Rascal #2 is talking about his mother being pregnant again. I always feel so sorry for these poor women as they try to judge, "Is she pregnant or not? What is this child talking about?!?!" in the split second that the conversation requires, and as they try to figure out what to say. Talk about awkwardness! haha
I usually try to quickly cut off their floundering glances with a "That's right, Rascal. When the adoption is final (even though that's not really the "right" word when dealing with Hong Kong, it's the easiest for him to understand), and Peter comes home, there will be four of you boys!" The woman usually meets my eyes with a glance of gratefulness. Usually there are a few giggles at this point, and we move on our separate ways....it's a pretty funny experience, probably for both of us!
Out of the mouths of babes, right?!?!
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| Oh, Rascal #2, you keep us laughing! |
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