6? "How do you tell them apart?"

So, in fact, whilst this question can get a little repetitive, and there is the temptation to come up with some rather daft responses ("oh, we just call their name and see which one responds") the truth of the matter is that this did cause my husband and I some concern prior to them being born.  

We decided not to cut their tags off when we first left the hospital, as to begin with the boys were co-sleeping - which meant the likelihood was that in the very small hours of the night when we were waking for yet another two hourly feed we would be so tired as to forget which one we were holding and thence start swapping them about and mixing them up.  I was dreading not being able to tell one from the other.

Then began the 'clothing code' where we decided stripes for one, and patterns for the other.  17 months on and we still, all be it subconsciously, stick to that code in one way or another.  I suppose in part it is because we don't like family to feel uncomfortable when they don't feel they can tell them apart... in part it might be so that in years to come when we look at pictures of the two of them we will remember which one we are looking at so nostalgically. In part it is now just engrained in us.

But I can tell them apart, even when they are toddling about with their nappies off and having a grand old time in the 'nudie rudie' (as our daughter calls it). For this, I am very grateful.  To me my boys do look different. I can't explain it, so answering that question proves a little tough for me... but I can, and do, know which one is which, for now any way!