it seems i have an invisible suit

do you ever feel like you're invisible?

i certainly do, well that is until someone wants something.

i embarked on my weightloss/fitness mission about 2 months ago and i've been going really well. i've lost 11kg so far and i'm a hell of a lot fitter than i was and i'm just starting to feel like my body has some sort of normality about it. having 4 babies certainly isn't easy on the body!

aside from my personal trainer (who i love!) and my husband not one person has commented on me looking any different. i don't think i look drastically different yet but surely they can see something?

and what this does is highlights how invisible it can feel to be a mother.

prior to having my children i was a commercial sales manager for an appliance company. it was during the real boom in unit development and i was considered senior management and well.... important. there i had job satisfaction even if it didn't come in the way of the owner saying 'well done on getting that order for 150 units' i had a sense of completion. problems were solved, goods sent out and just jobs completed.

motherhood jobs are never completed. no-one ever says 'well done' and 'thank you' is about teaching the kids manners rather than someone actually being thankful.

so i figure clearly i must have my invisible suit on and people just can't see what a huge achievement loosing 11kg is...

do you ever feel invisible?

i'm sorry, what did you say?

today i took all 4 kids to a major shopping center to get lachlan's hair cut. i was prepared for the stares and the comments that people seem to think is acceptable to say just because you have more than 2 children.

the kids were actually good and we did received a few funny looks a bit like we were the travelling freak show but we didn't have to endure any comments. the lovely lady who cut lachy's hair said how lovely all the kids were and asked if i'd be trying for another boy, ahhhh that would be a NO! it did make a nice change from the usual things people say like:

gee you must have your hands full - ahh no shit sherlock!

i don't know how you cope - well actually neither do i but is there an option?

were they all planned? - no, we only 'tried' for our 3rd but feel completely blessed that we didn't actually have fertility issues.

gee that must be expensive - i don't recall asking you to pay for anything so how about you mind your own business!

are they all yours? - well unless i'm in the habit of picking up stray children around the place, yes, yes they are.

i don't know how you do it - i don't know that either.

don't you have a tv - sorry, what's that got to do with the price of cheese in china?

you're not having any more are you? - no i'm not but again that's none of your damn business!

now i know people aren't saying these things to be malicious but seriously do they really think they are the first ones who've said it to me? do you think pointing out obvious things to me helps me in my day?

so instead of a stare or a stupid comment how about a smile and "have a wonderful day".