Double Trouble

When Ryan and Lucie were babies, I used to get stopped constantly by strangers wanting to peek at my twins. There's something about a double stroller carrying two infant car seats that attracts all kinds of attention and comments -- everything from the standard "Are they twins?" to "Double trouble!" or "My, your hands are full!"

I once counted the number of times I was stopped by people on a routine neighborhood walk/groceries stop and came up with quite a number - 17! But, those were the baby days. Now, we attract more attention in public from Ryan's firefighter costume than from the double stroller.

I had a really funny interaction about twins with a stranger today that I just had to write down. It was so unique, and quite honestly, a welcome departure from, "My, your hands are full!" (Note to readers -- please never say that to a mother of twins; it simply doesn't make anyone feel better about managing two cranky toddlers in line at the grocery store...)

Today a woman at the community center we frequent asked my twins' age. "Mine are 27", she replied and immediately whipped out a well-worn envelope of photos. "Have you seen 'Top Gun'?" she asked. Of course I had -- what woman who grew up in the 80's has not seen 'Top Gun'? This envelope of photos (which looked like she had taken it with her everywhere for the past 23 years) contained photos of her boys at age four with Tom Cruise and Meg Ryan on the set of 'Top Gun'. Apparently her identical boys shared a bit part in the film, and she's been proudly sharing that ever since.

I couldn't help giggling to myself the entire way home. Good for her! Every mother should be able to pull out a photo of her kids from a tattered envelope in her purse to proudly show off. For this woman, her prized photo is of her smiling boys circa 1986 with their arms draped around well-known celebrities. If I were to choose my photo to show off today, this would be it. Yes, in these days of infrequent naps, here's my proudest moment - a sleeping fireman. I have to admit, this definitely rivals Tom Cruise.

You just never know who you'll meet when you're out and about in the world with twins.