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June 2, 2011

Savoring the "Awww" Factor

Any parent of young multiples knows it’s rare to go out in public without someone – usually a few someones – making a comment.

You’ve got your hands full! Double trouble! Who’s older? Who’s smarter? Which one is your favorite?

And even if folks don’t say anything, I can sometimes feel them checking out my brood. I feel like I should acknowledge their interest with a smile, or at least try to have a pleasant look on my face at all times.

I know those comments can get under our skin a little bit at times, and the performance factor can be exhausting…especially when all you want to do is pay for your bananas and bread and milk and load up the kiddos and get home.

…but I had a little realization last week at the grocery store…

The girls had had a bit of a cold, and it was ugly, cold weather, to boot…but we were desperate for a few groceries. I say that to say, the girls and I were far from being dressed to the nines. I was just happy for us all to be there, fever-free.

A group of college girls walked past us. One glanced at the girls, and said, “Oh, how cute!” and she called out to her friends, “You guys come look! What cute babies!

I’ll always be in awe of my girlies, but the truth is that they probably won’t stop traffic like that forever. When’s the last time you cooed at an eight-year old, after all?

As borderline aggravating as some of the invasion of privacy can seem at times, I’m willing myself to enjoy the “awww” factor as long as I can.

15 comments:

James said...

Yes, the oohing and ahhing eventually stops and it will be just one more painful reminder that they're not your babies anymore.

(But I don't think the "you've got your hands full" ever stops.)

yettie said...

Going out with twins definitely has a star factor to it. I always have to mentally prepare myself. When I want to go incognito, I ditch the the double stroller though

Mandy said...

I made one of those comments! I crossed a couple with triples and I told them that I loved people like them. With their dumbfounded look I thanked them for taking the attention off me and my two! She laughed. But I'm pretty sure she hated me deep down inside!

Quadmama said...

We don't get the "awws" as much, but I have to admit I beam every time someone tells me how well behaved my girls are. It makes up for any "you have your hands full" comments every time!

Andrea said...

I don't want my babies to grow up....I love the awww's!!! I stand a little taller every time is happens. Makes my heart happy!!

Marcia (123 blog) said...

I love it!

SOunds like it was just the thing you needed to hear that day :)

I said to someone the other day who said, "double trouble" to me, "we like to think of it as double the blessings".

Normally I'm not THAT bolshie but it just jumped out of my mouth.

Johanna at The Baker Twins said...

It doesn't go away for a while (mine are three, and we still get it all the time), so you have a while to soak up the adoration. :)

Unknown said...

what a sweet way to look at it :-)

I was just telling someone the other day that in some ways its sad...I don't even recall the last time someone asked me if J&S were twins. Jacob is about 4" taller and 10 lbs heavier than Sarah...people don't even realize they are twins any more!

Wendy McDonagh-Valentine said...

I give mothers of multiples so much credit!! I haven't been to the grocery store alone with my one year old more than once or twice since she was born. My husband has been doing most of the grocery shopping which has been wonderful. Juggling two takes lots of patience, I'm sure. Your girls are beautiful!!

~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

MultipleMum said...

Too cute - a great benefit of attracting all that unwanted attention!

BTW I can't believe a man actually commented on your blog. A real man! I don't think I have ever had a man commenter. You must be very special x

Deanna said...

So true! As annoying as the attention can be, I have come to expect it, and even the girls sometimes look at people funny if they don't stop to tell them how cute they are! : )

And I do try to enjoy it occasionally, because like every other stage of this parenting thing, it will be gone before we know it.

Rebecca said...

Good point...

I get bored just going out with one of them...much less attention! LOL

northsidefour said...

So happy to hear that you enjoy your awws, it does fade, but they discover new ways to draw attention. We get "now they're not twins, are they?" constantly, M&K love to trick people. And I love the "this one and that one" t-shirts, those are wonderful!

championm2000 said...

My husband is worse than me...he LOVES the attention (and I love the awws). He takes them every time he gets his haircut because the ladies at the beauty shop go crazy...hahaha.

Life with Gemelos said...

I absolutely agree! I always here moms of multiples complaining about this exact thing and I just don't get it. Sure, it can be exhausting sometimes, but I know they won't be this small forever, so why not let others enjoy them just as much as I do :) It is such a weird experience to go shopping or in public with just one...you realize how special it is to have two!!