Friday, September 28, 2012

Twins

After explaining that the children of friends of ours are adopted this conversation happened with my youngest daughter at the dinner table.

Tara: "I wondered why their skin is so dark when Mom and Dad aren't dark! I thought maybe their grandmas or grandpas were dark."

Mom: "No, they were adopted from another country."

(There are three children in the family, 2 teenage boys and a 9-year-old girl.)

Tara: "Are they all brothers and sisters?"

Mom: "Well, the boys are twins so, yes, they are brothers, but the girl is not related to them."

Tara: "They're twins?"

Mom: "Yes, Tara. They're identical twins - that's why they look alike."

Tara: "Oh, they're not turtle twins?"

Mom: "What?"

Tara: "They're not turtle twins?"

Mom, laughing, "What's a turtle twin?"

Tara: "You know, they're twins."

Mom: "Do you mean fraternal twins? Ones that don't necessarily look alike?"

Tara: "No, turtle twins. I heard it on tv."

We're all just laughing now.

Tara: "No, really! I did! I think it was on Zack and Cody."

Mom: "Ah, the wisdom of Zack & Cody! Tara, it's called FRATERNAL twins."

Tara: "Well, I like turtle twins better."

This was the springboard for the scientific explanation of egg-splitting and the way we get two kinds of twins.  That edged too closely to a talk about sex for the 19-year-old so thus ended the conversation.

Just another day at the Martens...

8 comments:

Mari said...

Ha! Thanks for the laugh this morning. :)

secondofwett said...

That is quite funny.....three of my kids are quite delayed so that even though they're grown I still hear Zack and Cody on the tv! We also have two adopted daughters who are brown skinned...makes for interesting looks and stares when people question if we are the patents! Your comment about the picture taking with my cast...I actually did take it...I have an ipad and was able to prop it up and take it...I've become very resourceful in the last three weeks doing things one handed and using all sorts of props to help me!

Brenda said...

Hi Angie! Yes, I'm trying to get back. I love blogging, but sometimes darn life just gets in the way!
I like turtle twins better too. Haha, I could just see the embarrassment creeping up on your 19 year old's face!
Thanks for remembering me, after being gone so long.

gail said...

As I've said since we met, your family is so much fun!

Mary said...

That's so funny!

Conny said...

laughing so hard ... with Tara, of course ... not AT her. :)

Joyce said...

So cute! Definitely one to be written down and remembered : )

Marianne (Mare) Baker Ball said...

very cute! My daughter, when she was little, thought God's name was Howard, b/c in the Lord's prayer, we say "Howard, be thy name." :-) KIds make good sense!