In our past life, as non parents, my husband and I loved to travel. Now, it is just too hard. Frankly, it was hard with just one child, but add twins to the mix, and we are staying home a lot more!
But shortly after Christmas, Connecticut had a little heat wave, as in 50 degrees, and on a whim, we took the kids into the city to see the lights. For someone as OCD as me about planning, this was a huge deal. Major credit goes to my husband for suggesting we bring a second stroller for our 4 year old. I do periodic “head counts” and having all three kids in 2 strollers made that so much easier!
The kids all loved the city! And eventually we made our way to the tree. Personally, I was not a huge fan. They have done better. Just saying… But that is not the point. You all know that when you go out with twins (or triples, quads, etc), you attract a lot of attention. Stares. I have felt like a circus freak many, many times. But this was our weirdest yet. A woman turned away from the tree and decorations to stare at us. And make all those comments like, “Oh look, twins!”. And then she took a picture of my kids! Seriously, I saw her raise the camera and point it at us and click. And the Rockefeller tree was behind her. Behind me was traffic. There is not a doubt in my mind she was photographing my babies. I was stunned! To stunned to react really. I turned the stroller and walked away but inside I was seething.
I am imagining that she is from Kansas (no disrespect to anyone from Kansas, I just decided to imagine Kansas) and in the city on vacation. I am picturing her showing her friends pictures of her trip and saying, “Look! I saw twins!”. Why on earth would she even want a picture of my kids? I get that they are super cute, especially with those hats, but really, what does she plan to do with that picture? Will it get put in a scrapbook? framed? hung in her wall?
How do you all handle things like this?
Beth is known as mommy by a 4 year old and boy-girl 17 month old twins. She blogs about life, kids, and DIY, at Pickles in my Tea and in my Soup.
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Yes! Everyone has a different tolerance for it though. Once, my husband allowed some random waiter at a restaurant take pictures of our kids.
I remember people (strangers) taking photos of my twins on Santa’s knee their first Christmas. The Babyrazzi is intense for multiples!
Good to know I am not alone, but what are these people actually **doing** with these pictures?
Beth,
I read your this post, saw you are from CT, and clicked to your blog out of curiosity. (I live in CT with twins, also.) But now I have to comment to tell you that I have twin boys age 4.5, am expecting a baby girl any day now, and am a professor who received tenure when my boys were a year old. Totally fun to read about you and your family! I look forward to browsing the archives of your blog.
Jill
Hi Jill! Wow, we certainly are living parallel lives, aren’t we? Are you ready for this monster storm? I hope you live near the hospital, or bay girl waits a few more days!!
We are about 15 minutes from the hospital and have a neighbor with a snow plow, fortunately. But I hope she stays put for a few more days! –Jill