So, I get this question a lot, too. "You did that with all of them?", sometimes followed with "By yourself?" This always come from people with fewer than three children or no kids at all.
Yes, it may be a shocker, but we don't sit around at home all day long. (This is called maintaining your sanity.) I take my kids, by myself, to do all sorts of things such as walks, errands, museums, and petting zoos. The above picture is from Kings Dominion, and I will freely admit that I did not tackle this trip alone. My mother met us there, because, after all, the baby can't go on rides, and someone had to wait with her while another adult rode with the older children. Also, while Kings Dominion is fun, it is no Disney World, with their superb customer service!
My friends who ask this question do so in a praising sort of way, saying they don't know how I manage to shower, much less go away on day trips. Let's be honest . . . we don't take off for Natural Bridge Zoo every day, and there are times when it is virtually impossible to take a shower. It's not all lollipops and rainbows around here. We have our fair share of chaos, just like any other household.
The reality is, it wouldn't be fair to my older children to stay at home all the time just because there is a new baby in the house. They still deserve to play lacrosse, go to the pool, and make huge, messy art projects. Also, third children like to have noise around them all the time and to be on the go . . . it's what they are used to doing. Our little one screams bloody murder if you sit around too long. She wants to be out seeing the world and charming the next stranger we come across.
Of course, there are strangers who ask this question in a condemning tone, as if I personally affronted them by having another child and daring to take my progeny out in public. Those are the people at whom we politely smile, wish a good day, and then ignore.
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