....when people try to "label" your twins as "the good one" and "the
demanding one," or terms to that effect?

Chris is much more vocal about his opinions, both positive and negative.
And he has a scream the tones of which can bend metal. Alex is quieter in
his fussing. But I refuse to say (or even believe) that Alex is more
placid, better, more laid back, happier, etc. and so on than Chris. He
simply has a different style.

But I need some handy, one line responses for people (both friend and
stranger) who want to put labels on my kids: something that will stop this
line of conversation without actually coming out and being rude (ie. I can't
really say what I'm thinking, which tends to be something along the line of
"shuddup you ignorant small-minded person and quit trying to label and
cubby-hole my children into your preconceived notions of what babies should
be like and who says that the personality they display at 6mos is anything
like what they're going to grow up as and if you had gas and a tooth coming
in you'd be screaming too so frig off and leave us alone.")

I've finally come up with a pat response for that neverending comment when
people see me with twins--the "wow, now there's a lot of work" one: I smile
and say "I don't know, I'm usually too busy to notice."

TIA

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)
Meet the Kidlets at http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/mmcw2