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By Meredith Ethington

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The Gene Pool Isn’t Always Fair

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When I got married, my mom told me that all of my kids would look like me. She claimed that her side of the family had “very strong genes” and therefore, all of my kids would look like my side of the family. LIES!! How was she to know, though?

But, let’s face it, the gene pool is just a crap shoot. You never know what you’re going to get. Really. My kids look a lot like my husband, and if I had money for every time someone told me, “Your kids look so much like your husband”, I would have enough money to do something awesome. Not sure what, but it would be awesome, I know.

When little Chandler came along, I had a handful of people tell me that he looked like me. I mean, I knew all my kids were mine (women don’t really have to worry about that. We have 9 months to convince us that the children are ours) but there is always a little part of you that wants them to look like you. And, finally, I felt like with my third, I was getting a kid that looked like me!

But, now that he is almost a year and a half, there is no denying that he is turning into another little Jon-David. Every once in a while, a photo is snapped and you see it. I saw one today.

I gasped. It was Jon-David! Not me!!! But, I could see a little bit of me in Chandler every now and then, but this photo was proof that my gene pool is actually very challenged compared to his. Oh well, I will just have to live with it the rest of their lives when someone says, “Your kids look so much like your husband.” I know. I know.

Let’s start with Avery. She came out looking like him. As she has grown she looks more and more like my mother in law. And, while I used to hang on to the hope that she looked a little like me, I don’t see it that much anymore.

It doesn’t matter, really. I love them. I think they are freaking adorable, and I remember the birth of each and every one. So, yeah, I know they’re mine. But still.

Rest assured though, I know they are inheriting many of my wonderful and no so wonderful personality traits. So, I have to give myself credit for that.


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Comments

  1. Amber Perea says

    May 22, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    Nope, every one of them looks like him! What’s funny is, when I saw the last picture of your husband before I even saw the one you posted of Chandler, I thought they were twins! Lol 🙂

    I’m mixed race and look white as the driven snow so I was convinced Jp would look just like me! No go, either. He looks more mixed race than my nieces (whom are also mixed) but there is not a feature of mine in him! So

    Reply
  2. Amber Perea says

    May 22, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    Oops, so I feel your pain!

    Reply
  3. Lindsey says

    May 22, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    What a cute little bunch of Jon-Davids.

    Reply
  4. Noriane Batailler Ethington says

    May 22, 2013 at 8:03 pm

    Avery looks like Jon-David but she also reminds me of his mom Claudia! She has the same mannerisms. But on the other hand Grace also looks like Claudia and she and Avery don’t look anything alike. I still think Chandler looks the most like you out of the 3 of them.

    Reply
  5. bensbitterblog says

    May 22, 2013 at 8:42 pm

    I am actually glad my kids look like their mom. It would have been a tragedy had they looked or acted anything like me.

    Reply
  6. thesisterslice says

    May 22, 2013 at 9:22 pm

    I have three boys that look just like Daddy….I always say, I wonder if the Mother was the Milkman….I have a sister who is adopted and we are trying to adopt 2 boys from Haiti;…who cares….family looks like LOVE! Dig your post!

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:17 pm

      Thank you! You’re right, you still love them no matter what they look like. 🙂

      Reply
  7. twinzees says

    May 22, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    I love this post! I thought my genes would trump my husbands. So, far that’s not the case. I see my husband in them all he sees is me. I can’t wait till they are older so we can compare photos just as you have! Super cute.

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:17 pm

      Thanks!! Yes, seeing who they turn into is pretty fun!

      Reply
  8. Melanie says

    May 22, 2013 at 10:39 pm

    I feel you!! When my daughter was born everyone kept saying she was a mini me, but as she grew, there was no denying she was starting to look more and more like her dad. I see him in her now every time I look at her, there’s no denying it anymore. :/. I’m 7mo pregnant now so I still have hope of my mini me 🙂

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:16 pm

      I hope you get a mini you!

      Reply
  9. boringyear says

    May 23, 2013 at 1:03 am

    Monkey looks like Hubs. His two cousins on Hubs’ side also look like Hubs’ family. When strangers tell me Monkey looks like me I have to laugh and tell them that’s only because they haven’t met Hubs. I can maybe claim the eyes as mine, and that’s about it!
    Luckily I happen to think Hubs is pretty cute :p

    Reply
  10. Meridith says

    May 23, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    That Ethington gene is strong. I’ll never have a kid that looks like me. Sniff. 🙁 Yes, Avery and Kyle are definitely mini Jon-Davids, but I DEFINITELY see a lot of you in Chandler. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Katie says

    May 23, 2013 at 7:39 pm

    Strong genes or no, I have to say, your children are BEAUTIFUL! I wouldn’t throw any of them in the river.

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 23, 2013 at 9:53 pm

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  12. whatwouldnadiado says

    May 24, 2013 at 6:17 am

    Personality traits last forever, so you’ll have the last laugh. And beautiful pictures of your kids.

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 24, 2013 at 7:43 am

      Thank you.

      Reply
  13. muggleinconverse says

    May 24, 2013 at 8:18 am

    I think they are all a pretty good mix.

    Reply
  14. mkstump says

    May 24, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    I love this post! Everyone says my son, Bowen, looks like me, but I dunno. And everyone says that Ella looks like my sister. So who knows? Basically, I can’t figure out who my kids look more like, my husband or me. I guess they look just like themselves.

    ps – your kids are ridiculously adorable. 🙂

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      May 24, 2013 at 5:19 pm

      Thank you!!

      Reply
  15. Nicole says

    May 28, 2013 at 11:56 am

    Nice post with all of the family pictures. I can totally relate. My daughter looks NOTHING like me. People even have the nerve to say ‘Umm does she look like her Dad, because she looks nothing like you.’ LOL. On the flip side, I kind of like that she has her own look. Unfortunately she has my stubborn nature:)

    Reply
  16. sezsue says

    May 31, 2013 at 12:53 am

    Oh, believe me…..Chandler is definitely still YOU. If it wasn’t 3 a.m. I’d go find some more pictures of you to prove it!

    Reply

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