Who Do You Look Like?

It's interesting how each person seems to see your children differently. I, personally, don't see myself in Ryanna at all. I think she looks completely like Derek's side of the family: brown eyes (Derek's mom is the only grandparent with brown eyes), darker toned skin, skinny, skinny body. All of those things make me think Derek's family.

Ryanna


Derek and His older sister

Now Owen, with his bigger frame and blonde hair and hazel/greenish eyes, I can see my family more clearly there.

Owen--that smile!




Me and Owen with our blonde hair--at least he doesn't have a sunburn!

Though I definitely see a part of Derek's face shape in Owen.

Eli, I still don't know which family members I see there. He does get really tiny eyes when he smiles like I do. Funny, I think it's so cute on him, but I hate it for myself. Aren't we always our own worst critics?

Eli

Me--maybe I look like Eli?

His smile gets me too!

Any Eli in little Derek?

So, last week we were at Owen's soccer practice and the coach comes up to talk to us and notices Ryanna and Eli. "Are these all yours?" he asked Derek. Derek responded affirmatively that we were indeed the parents. To which the coach responded, "They all look like your wife."

The next day at the soccer game, which I was unable to attend, another parent made the same comment to Derek.

Now, I tend to take strangers views on which of the children look like which parent with a little more validity given that these strangers didn't grow up with me or Derek, so they don't have the bias which people who have known you for a long time may have.

However, this idea, I just can't buy. All of my kids look just like me? How can that be when they all look different from each other? I thought I'd post some of Derek's baby pics and some of mine and some of our kids and then you can tell me who you see...

Maybe I'm just wondering about all of this because I'm finally making the trip to meet my dad's biological family. Yes, on Thursday I leave for Arkansas to meet my own great grandma for the FIRST time. Pretty amazing. I'm so excited. I guess I'm wondering too...do I look anything like that side of the family? Any habits that were genetic? Is that even possible? Guess I'll find out in a few days!