You Ever Wonder???.....

It seems as though we are born without some things. Like the personal space box. You know what I'm talking about. The box that inhabits your self and is oh, about arms length away from you on all sides. Yeah, that personal space box, is quite obviously not shared by children. When do you think this realization happens? It's not like we come with handbooks, "and on your 8th year, week 42 you will realize what people mean when they say, 'personal space'"

My kids are terribly great at the abuse of personal space. I mean, for one, Grant wants you to tote his big self around everywhere on your hip, which, by definition is an infraction on your personal space. Carrying someone. Think to yourself now, when was the last time you asked someone to carry you? Doesn't the notion just make you giggle??!! I know what Dan would say if I asked him to carry me, "What?! Are you crazy?! I haven't won any strong man contests lately, do you really think I'm capable of lifting you??" To which I would have to whop him up-side the head for, but, he would be right! I mean, not to say that I am huge by any means, but, picking up another person? What would make someone want to do that or have that done to them? My friend Laura has told me that she loves to be carried. I think this is a ludicrous notion. It would only then give a man a real sense of what I'm hauling around every day. Yeah, no thanks! Definitely do not want anyone to know just how much this lady is packing!!

Anyway, back onto the topic of personal space. I first noticed how terrible my kids were with personal space when we had Wyatt. Griffin would want to be right up under me every time I sat in the recliner with the baby. "Momma, oh, he's so cute, our baby is so sweet." And I'm thinking, "Yes he is. Now, get your big ole head out of my face and the baby's face. You're going to make him cross-eyed."
Then, Grant will get up in the mix, because God forbid there be something going on with the baby and he not be there to put his two-cents in (not that you could understand him, but he will tell you what's going on!) Usually, though, all he has to say to Wyatt is ,"Wwwwhhhhhhhhyyyyyy". It's the nickname he gave Wyatt shortly after he figured out what this kid's name was. And when he says it, it's always 2 inches away from Wyatt's face, and really long and drawn out, "Wwwwwhhhhhhhhyyyyy" reminds me of the old Bud-Light commercials, "Whazzzz-Upppppp???" Makes me laugh every time. But, still, makes me cringe for Wyatt who constantly has to put up with this. Poor guy! They've no respect for your personal space, either, do they?

But, I think the thing that bothers me the most about having no personal space visible to the kids is that this means at any time my space is theirs for the taking. Ummm bathroom, kids, bathroom. It's not somewhere you probably want to be right now. Oh, but screaming on the other side of the door until I open it, is just more than a person can take! You're in there trying to concentrate, but have a small being yelling for you on the other side and freaking out that maybe, just maybe, you might need a moment without them. How unbearable this must be to be outside of my personal space and be left with what.... your own personal space only being inhabited by you!! Awh!! The audactity of that woman! How dare she leave YOUR personal space.

So, maybe that's it, huh?! It's not that they want to invade your personal area, they are just not secure enough to have you evade theirs? They need that closeness, even if it means enduring fumes no man, woman, or child should have to endure, just to be next to you. Is this just another example of unconditional love? Is this how they prove to us, that no matter what, they'll love us forever? Funny how the things that annoy you might also warm you to the bone when you think of them from a new perspective.

So, next time you are in this situation, don't think of this as an invasion of your personal space but, instead, as their need to have you inhabiting theirs.