"Running Errands"

So, I feel I have gotten to the point that running errands with the kids is a do-able activity, if I am up for the time and effort involved. True, there are still places I cannot take all three, and this never involves shopping for pleasure or fun, just the essential stuff. I have already mastered Sam's Club, mostly because the carts are big enough that I can leave the babies in their car seats and squeeze all three kids into one, and Wal-Mart, as long as Parker is wearing his "monkey backpack" (a.k.a. child leash). Obviously, I try to make the trip as short as possible, which is easy in that I really have barely any room in the cart for any items because it is already full of kids.
Today I tackled the post office. Parker has been with me many times, so as long as I psych him up that it is a FUN place to go ("Parker, guess where we get to go? THE POST OFFICE! Isn't that fun?! Aren't you excited?! What are you going to see at the post office?!") he survives it pretty well. With the babies in tow, I was not sure what to expect, we had just been at the gym, and it was almost naptime, so a breakdown would not be unusual. Fortuantely, there were no meltdowns! My biggest complaint was only that in the 20 minutes I spent there, 15 of those minutes were spent in the parking lot loading and unloading the kids from car to stroller and keeping Parker out of the path of moving vehicles. My "favorite" part about it all was the looks and comments I got from other people. Some smile, some stare, one lady shook her head and goes, "Whoa!" I am getting pretty used to this kind of stuff. Lots of people ask if they are twins, how old are they, and-my personal favorite-if they are identical.
But today at the post office was my personal favorite so far. The guy behind me in line started chatting, with something like, "Looks like you've got your hands full today!" (Parker was doing "sweet moves" on the slippery tile floor of the post office.) I said something like, "Yes, I have my hands full every day, but they are great kids!" Then he asked how old the twins and Parker were, and when I told him he goes, "Wow, were you TRYING to have more, or was it an accident?" Uh....well, "yes, we did want to have more..." I got a little worried at the direction this was going. Then he goes, " Are they fraternal or MATERNAL?" What?! I was not sure how to respond. Maternal? Does Brynley count as being maternal? I could give him half credit for trying, but Wyatt was definitely NOT maternal. So, I said, "Do you mean fraternal or identical? They are fraternal." Then, to top off the converstation, he goes, "Yeah, that's what I meant. They must be fraternal because they look different. My cousin has identical twins that I wouldn't be able to tell apart if they weren't a boy and a girl!" Hmmm...at this point I thought it best to not correct him again. Thank goodness it was my turn in line!