You know those moments when your whining, crusty, adorably mismatched family gets in the elevator with an old person and you know it can go one of two ways?
No? Well it can go like this. Elderly neighbor is enchanted, delighted, thrilled by the sticky hands all over the elevator buttons and the alarm that is now going off. He has raised his four children in this building–boy has it changed over these years–and isn’t it a great place for the little ones? God bless them.
Or this. Complete silence and dirty stares at my children who are dumping cheerios on the floor and stepping on them.
I never expected this one. We were in the elevator coming up to our apartment with the kids, their scooters, the double stroller and everything else we’d been out with for the afternoon. Our neighbor, a sparky long-time resident of our building whom I never see without her lipstick or her walker, was in the elevator with us. She complimented us on the kids–how alike they all are, how fun they are to have on the floor because they’re so “feisty” (referring to every morning when my children run into the hall in pajamas screaming to press the elevator button when their dad and sister leave). This woman has always been friendly, and I like her. She’s sharp and optimistic; I’ve had conversations with her about television shows, the neighborhood restaurants, and of course, the weather. As we approached our floor, she looked at my younger daughter and said, “Oh, look at her! She looks just like you,” glancing at me. Then she added as the elevator stopped and the doors opened, “Poor dear.”
Good job, kind old neighbor. Keeping me on my toes.
Mama One to Three 
Tell us her apartment number so we can send her hate mail!
thanks emily! lol. i think it was a moment of comic relief sent by the universe. i have an affinity for the absurd moments in life and I definitely think this qualifies!
Perhaps the two comments were not meant to be connected? In any case, if they were, I heartily disagree as she would be lucky to look like you (although I think M looks more like you).
M does look more like me–true. it may have been a true senior moment for her. who knows. I think it’s a funny story and I can appreciate the absurdity of those things. weird…
Those are the times I want to spout off a quick reply like, “As long as her criminal record doesn’t look like mine…” and leave them wondering. And no worries, you and your kids are totally adorable!
later on gerard and i just looked at each other like did that happen? I am going to assume it was a strange moment or a failed joke or something in the air…
WTF!?! As if it isn’t already hard enough to love ourselves the way we are, she has to pass along a complex to your perfect daughter. It’s sad to me, cause it’s obvious someone treated her that way. And she doesn’t make you want to treat her any differently with comments like that! Your babies are beautiful. 🙂
Oh, sorry for the double (now triple) comment, the form said it didn’t go through and I wrote you a second even BETTER comment…! Sorry!
WTF?!? As if loving yourself the way you are and the way you look isn’t already next to impossible in this culture. It’s sad because I’m sure someone who was supposed to love her also treated her with disdain and now she does it to others, which doesn’t help us want to be kindly towards her, in the least! I see your beautiful daughter and she is perfectly lovely and reflects you in so many amazing ways. You know this song by Ani DiFranco? It’s called “Present/Infant” and the best line is “Love is all over the place…There’s nothing wrong with your face” and she talks about her insecurities as a mom and how she looks. Listen here: http://youtu.be/rPb5dWdlsS0
thank you for you comments! it was a very bizarre-o moment — mostly because the lady is so nice to us and that comment came out of left field. I am definitely choosing NOT to dwell on it. I think it was blip in the universe. but I had to share it because it was just so odd!
It is so funny. I love that you wrote about it. And thanks for checking out my Peru blog…I’m currently at brunkandbrunk.blogspot.com if you want to find me there!
And Seriously. I just noticed that you commented on my current blog! (face in hands) HAHAH. I’m officially the awkward commenter of the month!
I’ve been following your blog for a while now, so glad we got to connect. 🙂
Haha! She is a character! She kind of scares me…
well, now, of course she scares you!
That did NOT happen!!
it did. lol. it may have been a “did I say that out loud?” moment for her…
Wow. I think you heard it wrong. You had to have heard it wrong. If not, sideswipe her walker next time she is applying lipstick.
WHAT?!?!?! Old people be crazy. 🙂 Old people from NYC be psycho. 🙂
I became “friends” with you after discovering my pregnancy, then I got all “first trimester tired” and fell off the grid. I am now hoping I’m regaining energy enough to stalk you regularly so you can help me figure out all the “stuff” I need to know to raise a baby in NYC. Where I’m from, people have mini vans full of cargo and bedrooms with large closets organized with space dividers that indicate the sizing of the cute outfits they buy in abundance. I have a feeling… that ain’t gonna be the way in NYC. 🙂