One of the many interesting aspects of having twins is that you get a taste of what it must be like to be famous. Towards the end of my pregnancy my bump was so large that people used to stare at it in the street and I was even approached by the dreaded bump fondlers. I'm sure I'm not the only person who thinks that asking to touch someone's bump is weird. I wouldn't even ask one of my closest friends for a feel of their bump let alone a total stranger. We attract even more attention now that the girls are actually here.

Conversations tend to follow this pattern:

Stranger: "Twins! What have you got, a boy and a girl?"
Me: "Nope, two girls" ( inwardly curses self for buying R a coat that looks like a parka)
Stranger: "Are there twins in your family?" (this is actually code for "Were they naturally conceived or did you have IVF?")
Me: "Yes, my Dad is a twin"
Stranger: "So it wasn't a total surprise then?"
Me: "No it was still a shock"
Stranger: "When did you find out it was twins?"
Me: At my first scan, at 12 weeks"
Stranger: "That's quite late on isn't it?"
Me (how the heck would I have known before I had a scan?) "Not really"
Stranger: "How do you tell them apart?"
Me: (they look totally different so it is quite obvious) "They are non-identical"
Stranger: "They look very similar. Ooh, double trouble! How old are they?"
Me: "5 weeks"
Stranger: "You're very brave, taking them out so early on. You're doing ever so well. It gets easier dear"
Me: (can I get on with my shopping now?) "Thanks" (smiles broadly)

Of course, I don't object at all when people approach me and tell me how gorgeous they are! Seriously, it is nice that people take the time and trouble to chat as you don't expect it these days.

I didn't realise that many people still view multiples as being different or special as having two babies feels normal to us. However, I remember that before I was pregnant, or even contemplating having a baby that I would always notice twins and higher multiples so perhaps the interest in us isn't so odd. DH and I are used to blending into the background so it makes a change to be in the spotlight and we've found that one unsolicited compliment makes up for any amount of sleep deprivation!