How Do You Tell Them Apart?

The most common question people always ask my family is, “How do you tell them apart?”  Well, it’s a valid question when you have identical triplet brothers.  When they were in the hospital, they had their own labeled beds which made it easy.  However, once we got them home, mom and dad had to figure out a system.

The first way was to paint the thumbnail on the right hand of each with a specific color.  Lou got blue, Rock was red and Giovonni’s thumbnail was green.  You can catch a glimpse of that in the above picture.

Later on, someone made little bracelets for them of the same colors shown in this picture.

Many people would assume or ask if we could tell them apart from their different personalities.  Well, maybe, but their personalities were always shifting.  The fussy one, the contemplative one and the ornery one wouldn’t always remain that way from week to week.  Plus, personalities are never the quickest way to determine who is who.

It would help to occasionally dress them in their designated colors, which mom and dad often still do to this day.  This was especially helpful when they became mobile.   When one of them starts to run off in the grocery store, mom really doesn’t have time to sort out personalities, you just have to memorize who wore what that day.  Currently, if one of them is only in their undies, it is likely Rocky.

Dad would make them outfits with his favorite bands on them.  He did the same thing to me A LOT when I was little.  It’s not like I really listen to these bands.  I think he is just trying to seem like he is a cool dad or something.  My favorite band this year has been Twenty One Pilots.

Pretty soon we could just tell the triplets apart by facial recognition.  People who have spent some time with them have been able to do this too.  Sometimes people think it is funny when my parents call one of them by the wrong name, but how could they not sometimes when these guys are identical!  Just the other day dad kept telling one of them, “Giovonni, come over here.”  After about the fourth time, my brother said, “I’m Woowie, daddy.”

It is kind of rare that mom will dress them in the same clothes.  She likes to dress them similar  but not really the exact same outfits.  That usually only happens for pictures or special days like Easter or Christmas.

When they were infants, there were other little clues to help tell one from another.  Rocky has a double cowlick in his hair.  Giovonni has kind of an elf ear on the right side and a small birthmark on his head.  Louie…he was just the one who didn’t have any unique markings.

I’ll tell you how I can tell them apart right now.  Louie has two red dots on his face.  Rocky’s mouth is little.  And Giovonni…he just has a big head.

The way I figure it, what would be the difference if we DID ever get them mixed up early on.  It’s not like one was going to receive all the inheritance and the rest would be out of luck.  They have the same DNA so if we started calling Rocky, Louie, then I guess that is who he would be from then on out…or until we got him mixed up again.

(written from Journey’s perspective by dad…but partially typed by Journey)

ps- Here is me with my Twenty One Pilots shirt!

Quote of the week
“I want you to stop your voice.” -Giovonni (to his mother)