Almost twenty-three years ago, Emily arrived looking pretty much exactly like John. He brought his own newborn picture to the hospital and several people assumed it was hers. Great, I thought, I did all the work and he gets all the credit. And his black hair and brown eyes would surely prove dominant every time. I thought I’d never have a child who would look like me.
If you have enough kids, though, you can count on some variety. Jake does look, if not like me, like my family. “I know this baby!” my mother exclaimed when she saw him for the first time. Teddy has blue eyes and fairer skin, but still at this point most people think he closely resembles John. William was blonde as a small child and his eyes are green, and I’ve found that coloring confuses people when it comes to noticing resemblances, but hold up a picture of him to one of his daddy at the same age, and the similarities are clear.
Then came Lorelei. Looking at her in the hospital, I said, “I think she looks like Mima.” It took years before other people started to agree with me. She has Mima’s nose is a childlike form. But when people see her with Emily, they often assume they are mother and daughter (to Emily’s chagrin). Childhood pictures of the two of them are very close. And if Lorelei looks like Emily, and Emily looks like John, then Lorelei can’t look like me, can she? (And I don’t have Mima’s nose!)
Well, look at these pictures and tell me what you think.
None of my daughters look like me and, so far, none of my grandchildren look like me either. It irks me good to see grandmother’s with their granddaughters who look just like them. Everybody says I look just like my mother. Oh well, I guess I will go on longing for some part of me to show up somewhere along the line.
Family resemblances are a funny thing. I have a picture of my great-great-great grandfather and I can definitely see how my grandmother resembled him! I, too, get a little tired of hearing EVERYONE say how much my kids look like my husband! It’s not fair, is it?
No, it is not fair. I would like to see at least one grandchild or great grandchild that looked like me, before I pass on, but it may not be meant to be.
Sometimes as they grow, their looks change too. You never know!
You give me hope! 🙂
The same is exactly the same! Is that a Sacred Heart uniform? My children are at St. Joe’s!
urg. I meant the smile is the same… 🙂
I’m glad someone else can see it! Yes, Michelle, she is in 3rd grade at Sacred Heart. My three big kids went to St. Joseph, though, as did I.
Yes, I read about you being a student there. St. Joseph School has a neat history. Many of my cousins and my father were students there. I knew I didn’t recognize your daughter’s name as a classmate of my son 🙂 He is in the third grade as well.
I was just at the 50th anniversary dinner over the weekend. What are your family names? I would surely know some of your family! Well maybe one day our kids will be classmates at KCHS!
Yes, I’m sure you do. My maiden name is Clancy, (my Dad is John III). Pickering, Nutter, et al… 🙂
LOL. There were two Pickerings in my oldest son’s class, one Pickering and one Clancy in my second son’s, and one in my youngest son’s for the one year he was at SJS. Brett Nutter and I were in the same class for twelve years. Juli Nutter’s twins were in my second son’s class. Lorelei has a Clancy grandkid in her class. My sister’s husband is cousin to Art Clancy’s kids. I could go on. Catholic Knoxville is a small world. 🙂
HA! You are right, small world!
I think she is definitely your child! Cute!
Thank you, Ellen!!