I Still Get This A Lot...

While up at the birthday party this past weekend, I had the following conversation with a fellow partygoer:

Me (to #1, who was in my arms): I know, it's kind of hot out here, huh? Let's get into the shade under the tent.

Best Friend's Sister: So he's the more passive one, eh?

Me: Oh yeah, they're total opposites of how they were in utero. He was active all the time and she was so quiet. Now, she's the active, talkative one and he's quiet and observant.

BFS: Is she your Baby A?

Me: Nope, he is. From the moment they were born, though, they've been like this.

Annoying Guest: Oh wait! The other baby is yours, too?!

Me: Yep.

AG: Are they twins?!

Me: Yes.

AG: Who's older?

Me: Well, he was born a minute before she was.

AG: I knew there was another baby here, I just didn't realize that they were brother and sister.

Me: (grinning proudly) Yep, they're my sweet muffins.

AG: And you have a boy and a girl?

Me: Yes.

AG: Are they identitcal?

Me: (pause, biting tongue) Well, no.

AG: Oh wait. A boy and a girl. No, I don't suppose they could be identical could they?

At least she figured it out on her own. While I was pregnant, people asked left and right (once we knew what we were having) and I'd say, "a boy and a girl." We were forever inundated with "are they identical?" We thought it might stop once the kids were born, but nope. Sometimes I wonder if it's the only thing most people know about twins, that they can be identical. Either that, or we all have our internal scripts that we follow and end up asking questions on automatic pilot most of the time.

I suppose, though, that it might be more tiresome for a mother of fraternal same sex twins who may or may not look a lot more alike than a boy and a girl set. But still. Really? Upon discovering that it's b/g twins is the next logical question really "are they identical?"