"So, are they identical?"

I was out with my twins yesterday buying some new shoes and the sales clerk asked me if the babies were twins. She then proceeded to ask if they were identical. This is after we picked out girl shoes for Emma and boy shoes for Carter. I answered her politely that they were not identical, and then her comment back to me was, "Well, they look so much alike, you'd think they'd be identical. Are you sure?" Again, I politely said back to her, "Yes, I'm sure. She is a girl and he is a boy so they can't be identical." She then gave me a puzzled look and we carried on about our business. This is one of the many, many, many times that I've had this conversation while out in public. After about the tenth time getting this question, I wanted to respond with a comment about how dumb the asking person must be to assume that a boy and a girl can be identical. Simple biology tells us that they physically cannot be identical!


I'm sure all of you mommas of multiples have gotten this same question a lot, especially those of you with same sex twins. While a lucky few may have identical twins, they are far more uncommon than fraternal twins so the "no, they aren't identical" answer must be more commonplace. Regardless, I still get a laugh inside when I get this question and ones like them. 

However, I've also gotten a lot of far more disturbing questions that have irked me to want to use my body combat skills. Here are some examples:


1. Are those twins? Did you try to get them?
2. Yuck, twins. Why do you leave the house?
3. What fertility medication did you use to have twins?
4. Did you think about aborting one of them when you found out you were having two?
5. Oh, so you're like the Octomom?


Etc., etc, etc....


As a mom, you have to have a sense of humor. Otherwise, you'll go crazy (not with your own kids, but with grown adults and their dumb questions).