Is that a Real Baby?

I realize that sometimes people are...er...well...just plain stupid. And for some reason when they see a pregnant lady, or a new mom, they just seem to open their mouths and let the stupidity fall out. Anyone who has a child has witnessed it...and wanted to scream. Instead we smile politely, answer their ridiculous question, and move on. So today Parent Bloggers is asking for those stupid questions. (You too can join in the fun, and maybe win an iPod)

I had to think about it, because there are just so many..."How many babies are in there?", "Your breasts are already so big, are they going keep growing?" and "Oh he's beautiful, he must look just like his father" (gee, thanks for telling me I'm ugly as sin!) But I realized that possibly the A#1 stupidest question I've heard yet (and yes, believe it or not I've had it asked several times now!) is "Is that a REAL baby?"

Are you kidding me? At the Civil War reenactment I had it happen at least a dozen times. At the 4th of July parade (in our Elizabethan costumes) I had it happen at least 4 times. But the worst is that I've actually gotten it while in "normal" clothing at Target. So what do I say? Usually I'm polite and smile and say "Well, of course", but on occasion I have been particularly snarky about it and replied "No, he's a puppet" or at the reenactment "No, they didn't have babies during the Civil War". (Yes, they did say "Really?!" and thus, again I say, people are stupid.)

"Don't you wish you could have just handed them this?"