3.20.2013

full hands

I go everywhere with two accessories: Avery and Eliza. We never carry Eliza in her carseat, just on the hip. Avery usually walks next to me holding my hand or my pinky finger.

So, yes, I literally have my hands full. I love it though, it's my life.

For some reason though, when people say, (and they do EVERYDAY), "You've got your hands full!" I have the knee jerk reaction to say something that would just dis them so hard. But I have nothing. Sometimes I'll go, "Oh yes, full of love!!!!!" but even I know that sounds lame.

Today at the post office, I was mailing mardi gras beads to friends and to make the experience quick and painless, I had everything ready. I love those people at the post office who get it done, as oppose to those who are like, "can I see the forever stamp collection again?"

I get to the front, she says, "You've got your hands full!" I want to say, duh. I'm mailing boxes. So with Eliza very interested in everything I'm doing, so much so that she's almost bent parallel to the floor, they tell me this outrageous price for sending, what has become at this point, a bunch of plastic crap in a box.
"You know, if you go flat rate, you'd save $15." I go, okay, let's do that. "Well, you need to take the contents of this box and put it in a flat rate box." I tell her, this is a flat rate box that my dad sent me a while back, I just wrapped it in butcher paper. So they are the EXACT same size. Can we put a flat rate label on it and call it a day?

What do you think, this is the post office.

Even though it is a box of plastic crap, you would have thought I was shipping my good china by the amount of tape I used to seal it. So there I am, in the back of the post office, ripping apart this box, with Eliza on my hip and Avery talking gibberish to herself. I get the new box, and I'm trying to assemble it with one hand, but I need tape. I go up to the front, and after CLEARY struggling to get the tape on the bottom, the lady goes, "want some help?" I say, "yes, thank you." but i'm my head, I'm saying something different.

I get the box assembled only now I have to get to the back of the line again. This isn't so bad, but I get the other lady this time, and she goes, "You sure do have your hands full!"


So here is the point of this post. A general question to the world, what are you trying to say when you tell someone they have their hands full? Are you happy for me? Do you think I'm crazy? As far as I'm concerned, unless you're willing and able to help me with my full hands, stick to the always popular, "you have the most beautiful children in the world" comment that is sure to help a mom feel better about herself.

Because if she does has her hands full, which I do, she doesn't need to be reminded of it. What she does need to be reminded of is how pretty she looks with her accessories.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

amen sista!!!! that comment always ruffles my feathers... right now I go out with Noah, the 5 month baby I watch, and a 7 month prego belly and I get my share of pitied looks and comments... it's not a disease people!

Courtney Landry said...

I think the answer is - "I definitely do, can you help me..."

Unknown said...

thank you for the laugh. this is what i notice with my THREE beautiful accessories... old men...they are the best...they never say "you have your hands full" they say "look at those beautiful girls just like their mama!" and other moms...who are older say "wow...you've got your hands full" and i think they mean "boy am i glad my kids wipe their own butts now" and really older moms say "look at all that help you have...i wish i had some of that help" to which i think "they're for hire...how much?" but i say "i know...they just get better every time we come here! thanks for noticing" (usually the grocery but sometimes the post office too) so anyhow... enjoy the season! i am telling myself the SAME thing.

KimC said...

I always say, "yes, full of good things!". It makes you sound so gracious and like you have it all together. Even when that's usually far from true ;)

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