Who says they should be seen and not heard?

People often look at my sons and say “Wow, you have your hands full.”

Often, as in all the time.

This is not meant as a compliment.

I used to move on quickly after these comments, chagrined. No more.

Yesterday, in Home Depot, Berg asked an employee in the garden department if he could plant carrot seeds directly in the ground, or if he had to start them indoors. The employee said he could plant them in the ground, and Berg asked if it was still OK if we lived in the mountains where it was colder.

The employee didn’t know.

Kai interrupted Berg to ask the employee if deer eat carrots.

Followed quickly with:

“Do deer eat spiders?”
“Do deer eat rabbits?”
“Do deer eat children?”

Followed by Berg telling Kai that he is ridiculous. And telling the employee: “Don’t mind my brother. He’s three.”

At which point the employee said to me, “Wow, you have your hands full.”

“Yes,” I said. “My boys are awesome.”

When I take my sons out in public, I explain to them carefully what we are going to do before we go do it. Most of the time, they comply with enthusiasm. They do not break the merchandise, or wrestle in the aisles, or trip old ladies trying to cross the street.

They DO ask a lot of questions:

“Why are artichokes so pokey?”
“Why are artichokes named after the dog?”
“When can we get another dog?”
“Why is Daddy allergic to cats?”
“Why am I allergic to cow’s milk?”
“Do cows like to be milked?”
“Would you like to have cows?”
“Would you like to have goats?”
“What if we had a goat farm?”
“Do you know how to make goat cheese?”
“Would I be able to eat goat cheese?”
“Do goats eat artichokes?”

Apparently, neither of my sons came with a volume control. But if loud and inquisitive are the worst they throw out, I’ll take two hands full, please.