So......How many kids do you have?

Sounds like a pretty simple question, right? Should be one of the easiest question a person ever answers, but it is one I struggle with all the time. I honestly never know what to say. I usually end up giving a big long story and people usually end up looking at me like geeze lady, I just wanted a number! How do I even begin to explain my kid situation? If I try to make it simple and just say 4 then not only do I feel guilty but I usually have people tell me I look really good for having 4 kids. Grrrr. Then I have to explain that I didn't give birth to four kids.....only three......but two of my four are step-kids. Then I get that confused wtf look. So, I start from the beginning. I gave birth to three daughters. The middle one died at 6 months of age. I later remarried gaining two more kids that I raise on a daily basis......that I hate to refer to as step because it feels as though they are very much mine. I often wonder how calling them step makes them feel. Also, I wonder how it makes their biological mom feel when I claim them and don't refer to them as step. I am sure she is thinking those are MY kids! And rightfully so. She DID carry them for 9 months and give birth to them. They are hers. But where does that leave me? Between a dead daughter, two step-kids, and two biological kids......what am I to say?

Another constantly need to be explained situation......Why I have 2 daughters the same age, same grade, same teacher, with two different last names. Before the last names are said it's, Oh....you have twins? Then it is usually followed by that person trying to figure out how I have two kids, with two different baby daddy's that are mine. Same age. I am just good like that people (: