On Identical Twins

So in case you're new here or just didn't catch on...there are 3 C babies, two boys and a girl. The boys just happen to be identical twins. However, since the first month I worked here they have not looked anything alike. They certainly have similar features, there is no doubt about that, but the way they use their faces--their smiles, their grimaces--each boy is subtly different. These minute differences make it very difficult to explain when people ask,

'How do you tell them apart?'

I just do. When I look at their faces, they are my RBC and DLC. They do not look alike anymore. Their faces are distinctive, yet is hard to put my finger on how. R's face is fuller, more square, with eyes that tilt slightly downwards at the corners. D's face is more narrow and oval shaped. Their noses differ too. D's almost turns up while R's is more flat in a way. But this is what it looks like to me, you might not agree.

In general I think if you look at them you can tell they are different. It is just about taking the time to find out which name goes with what face. I imagine it like meeting a bunch of kids at a playgroup for the first time. It takes a while to identify with certainty which boy was Max and which Jakey after you have barely seen their faces before they run off to play.

I have discovered that no identical twins look the same to me any more. Mary-Kate and Ashley each have delicate differences that make them less than perfectly identical. Zach and Cody? No problem. Teach me what name goes with what face and I'm golden.

This is not to say that I don't mix them up. In the heat of the moment I do accidentally say the wrong name. Especially if they have their backs to me and I've forgotten who is where. (A common occurrence since they NEVER sit still.) No worries though, they have no problem telling you if you make a mistake.

We used to mark their big toes with green and blue nail polish to be sure we knew their identities. It was a crutch that lasted well past their first birthdays. Their grandparents and teachers STILL ask 'SO....Who's who?' Its a bit disappointing. I think it's VERY important for the important people in their lives to know these boys for the distinct little people that they are. I try to avoid clarifying identities anymore. Maybe if people are forced to look they'll notice all the differences that are so obvious to me.