Things People Say

When I'm out with all three kids at the grocery store, or just walking around the block, people I pass are compelled to stop and say something. Of course, I like the attention. I had observed before we had children that our Labrador Retriever was something of a chick-magnet. In this regard, the dog was nothing compared to Nathan when he was an infant, and twin babies more than double this effect.

For the benefit of those blog readers who happen to be my wife, I'll add that during a weekday, they are more of an old-lady magnet. And anyway, three little children marks a man as "taken" even more effectively than when I have to hold your purse in public.

Things people say tend to fall roughly into three categories:
1) "Looks like you have your hands full"
2) There are some twins somewhere in my family too. So I know all about it.
3) Oh, look, they're identical, aren't they?

I put the first of these in quotes to indicate that these are the precise words of wit I hear roughly 1-2 times per day. If anyone can come up with an incredibly funny response, please post it in the comments, and I will try to make it sound like spontaneous humor at the next opportunity.

I believe that the prevalence of #2 is explained as follows: As I said, I enjoy the attention. Well, other people like attention too, and see this as an opportunity to play their own twin card, on someone who will appreciate it. I just don't know how to give them the strokes they need in response to "Oh, my father-in-law is a twin!". Uh, congratulations? Must have been exciting for your husband's grandparents? At least two people independently have followed "Ah, twins!" with "Been there, done that!".

As far as #3, they have genetic tests for such things, and they probably wouldn't cost hundreds of dollars if strangers at the grocery store could easily pick out the identical twins. Ours are almost certainly not identical*, as they have slightly different eye color, hair pattern, skin tone, eye shape, voice, etc, etc. I suppose they look alike as all babies do, and even more so because they are brothers. Let me add, that they look nothing alike to me and DW, and we can even tell their cries apart. (Which is not to say that I don't often call them by the wrong name. But then, I sometimes accidentally call them by the dog's name too).

A few weeks ago, an old lady at the store stopped us and gushed about how precious the little babies were. Turning to Nathan, she added "Oh, and you are too!". Nathan helpfully corrected her: "Two-and-a-half!"

*According to the great Wikipedia, about 8% of twins are identical.