Opus 30 - Going Out With Twins

As you can imagine, going out with the twins is quite an adventure. But what makes it an adventure is not getting everything together, packing the babies up, driving to the location with babies crying, getting the stroller out, putting the babies in the stroller, and getting the diaper bag attached to the stroller correctly... no, that has all become easy over time. The real adventure begins when we enter the store.

I've read several books about raising twins and I remember one mother of twins talking about how her twins are like celebrities while she and her husband are their assistants. Jason & I have found that to be right on the money. I feel a bit awkward walking around the store hearing people whisper (or sometimes just talk really loud as if we can't hear them!) about the babies... "Oh, look! It's twins!" or something similar.

Then there are the people who come up and talk to us. We always get the same questions/comments... "Are they twins?" (DUH!!) "Double trouble!" "What a blessing!" "I always wanted twins." "Is it fun?" "Are you tired?" (DUH!!) "Are they boys or girls?" - that's one of my personal favorites. I totally dress Lissa like a girl and Joshua like a boy, yet I still get that question. It's like people forget that you can have a boy and a girl.

But that's not my ultimate favorite - my very favorite question comes immediately after I explain that they are a boy and a girl... "Are they identical?" Seriously? Did you not take biology? I usually smile and explain that they can't be identical. Sometimes I get blank stares after that, but more often I get an embarrassed grin. I have to admit that sometimes I don't even answer the question, I just look at them and wait for them to figure it out on their own. Don't worry, I only do this with people I actually know, I wouldn't do that to a stranger :)

Here's the question I really don't like and just don't understand why people ask it... "What are their names?" To me, that is not something you ask a stranger about their baby. I think it's inappropriate. That's getting too personal. I don't want to tell the whole world my babies' names. So I've decided that I should start giving fake names when I get that question. I'm thinking it would be fun to give names that would get a good reaction. Some that Jason and I have thought of are - Joseph & Emma, Luke & Leia, Jack & Jill... Does anyone have any other ideas? We get this question a lot so we're going to need a lot of names to keep us entertained!

I know that we'll always get a reaction when we go out with Lissa and Joshua. It's something we'll have to get accustomed to. It's like the one mother said - they're celebrities and we're their assistants. It's just one price we pay for having our adorable babies. They're worth it!