It’s interesting that you see such variety, because I look at JB, his brother, your nephew, and Riley and think, “the genes are strong in that line.” They’re like the elk-hunting version of the Osmonds.

My sister and I are both adopted so I couldn’t wait to see what her kids would look like. She ended up with a daughter with her dark skin, a gorgeous auburn variety of her dad’s strawberry blond hair, and — surprise! — brown eyes instead of her parents’ green or blue. Her son looks just like his dad but has light brown hair.

I see only you in them, but then I was never great at this game.

I’m no good at this game either – but I just wanted to say that I would kill to have the red hair gene pop up in our family. So much so that the Mister feels like he has to apologize when red headed children walk by, “I’m sorry my genes are deficient…” They aren’t of course, and our daughter is beautiful – I just love red hair.

I’ve always thought Riley looks JUST like you, especially when he smiles really big. It’s darling. Dylan … dude, he doesn’t look like EITHER of you, but I sure as hell did see his uncle in his face in a picture you posted once.

Genes are so weird, I agree.

Our nephew — Adam’s brother’s son — looks EXACTLY like Adam. We have pictures of Adam as a baby and we put them next to those of Nathan and we’re all, uh, Adam? Jennifer? Where were you on XX date?

It’s disturbing and has totally become a running joke in the family as well. It’s a little awkward at times, as you pointed out, but it’s mostly hilarious. I mean, HOW does that even HAPPEN?

They both look like BOTH of you! Aren’t genetics a weird thing? Brown eyes and hair (which I have) are supposed to be genetically dominant over blue or green eyes and blond hair (my husband). Neither of my children got my coloring!

You need to put up the photo of Joe and the lobster into the “who resembles who” lineup. http://twitpic.com/hua4

I think you need a more suspicious look on your face for me to make that determination! BTW, I think your boys are crazy cute.

I think my husband and I have begun to resemble one another, so our girls look like clones of the two of us . . . who look like brother and sister. Yuck.

WEll without a doubt, Riley looks most like you and Dylan looks like JB.

My oldest is the spitting image of his Dad and my youngest looks just like my brother. It is all weird like that. Oh, and my brother’s daughter, SO me!!

It’s cool.

I haven’t decided about Dylan yet, but I think you and Riley look a lot alike, especially when he’s giving that full-blown smile he likes to do.

I think they both look like you!

I think you managed to join up the dots correctly on the photos above. Dylan is so like JB (and his bro) and Riley has always looked like you – apart from the suspiciousness.
I think you should have a picture taken looking very suspiciously at something.
And you need to squeeze JBs’ ass into the door bouncer with a look of joy on his face!
There won’t be any doubters then :o)

I love Dylans dimple!!

Yeah, those pictures above showcase who I think are the strongest matches too.
In our family I’m a total clone of my dad and his side of the family, while my sister is the representative for our mom’s side; yet we look a lot alike as well. I think that’s mainly because we tend toward the same colors in hair dye and also our eyes both disappear when we smile.
I think genetics are amazing, but I really would’ve appreciated inheriting an ass.

I think Riley looks just like you and Dylan looks just like JB.

Linda = Riley
JB = Dylan

I’m delurking to say that I’ve been reading your blogs for a while now and I love them. I too am a mom of two (7 and 3; both girls) and the things you write truly strike a chord with me. I’ll repeat what many have said before me: you have a beautiful family.

And totally off-topic, but I thought about you yesterday when hubby and I were watching the movie previews for Felon (surprisingly good movie) and came across this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0960890/

Zombie Strippers! I couldn’t stop laughing.

And here I always thought Dylan looked most like you, and Riley most like JB. huh.

No matter who resembles whom, your boys are both incredibly adorable.

I love how in so many of the Riley pics you post, he has this look on his face like “What sort of fraud are you trying to perpetrate upon me? What?!”

I’ve thought Dylan looks like Joe for months now, but… yeah, no parent wants to necessarily hear that. My niece was mistaken as mine several times, and her mama was not pleased.

I’m surprised to see the responses here, because I have always thought that Riley favored JB, and that Dylan has favored you. Dylan’s eybrow/nose line looks *identical* to yours, and I think it might by Riley’s forehead that looks like JB’s? Sometimes you definitely post pictures of Riley where he strongly resembles you and vice versa for Dylan, but I stand by my original assertion.

It’s funny, because growing up everyone always said I looked exactly like my dad/aunt on his side of the family. However, when you put my high school graduation photo next to my mother’s, it’s a weird Freaky-Friday kind of thing. Like it gives me chills and everything.

Riley looks a lot like you. Dylan looks more like JB.

Whoever the hell…y’all are damn fine looking folk!

And yes! to the Dylan/JB thing. I thought that was clear on arrival!

Love your writing!
L.

Will you post pictures of the uncle, and maybe some other relatives? I can’t remember what they look like now. Riley does look a lot like you, but he also looks like his dad, too. I don’t like the picture you chose of Riley, as I swear he looks very different than usual in that one. Dylan looks a heck of a lot lot like you, Linda, but I also think he is unique (until I see more pics, that is).
Genes are really strange, yet I think we hardly deviate from our caveman ancestors’ genes, from what I’ve read.

I can’t figure out who my kids look like most, either. I have 3 boys, 4 and under. They all look very different from each other, yet very similar too.

I think Riley looks a lot like you, and Dylan looks a lot like JB. By the way, how many times per day do you chomp on his cheeks? They are so chompable! (Sorry if that is weird to say about someone else’s kid!)

I gave up the “who looks like who” game when the caboose was born, because she doesn’t look like anyone on either side. She doesn’t even look like the milkman. Or the postman. Or anyone. I had one ancient great-aunt suggest that she kind of looks like my great-grandmother on my dad’s side, who nobody remembers and who there is no photo of. Works for me…. =:o

So yeah, Dylan looks like, uh, Jb, and uh, Riley looks like, uh, yeah, you kinda. Yep.

Riley has the shape of JB’s eyes in these pics and Dylan has his build… but it’s hard to say other than that because the one of JB and Dylan is too far away for close scrutiny and Riley’s suspicion makes it hard to figure out what his features would look like relaxed. One thing’s for sure as far as I’m concerned: your boys look nothing like each other, at least for now.

I think your children look like the spitting image of adorable. :)

I remember a weird moment at my grandparents’ house several years ago when we were looking through old albums and realized that the very old, black and white photo we were looking at was NOT my brother, but was in fact a photo of my 20-ish year-old grandfather. They could have been twins.
Here’s hoping my brother avoids the dementia later in life…

I just want to say I’m way jealous of how much you know about your gene pools. My biological dad has been m.i.a. since I was two, so I know nothing of my paternal side. I don’t bring this up to be a downer, it hardly ever matters to me. I just envy those who can look at their babes and know exactly who they resemble–whenever I have kidlets,unless they’re the spitting image of my maternal side or one of my hubby’s sides, I won’t know who they took their looks from. Oh well.

And hey, way too much about me! You have beautiful babies, for sure.

Just so you know: you didn’t develop that Riley look of tough determination and skepticism until you were about eleven. Good luck.

Adorable! I’m bad at this game, but I think they both look like a combination.

Everyone always said I look like my mother, but I’m adopted. Maybe it’s the whole “Asians look alike” thing. Ha!

I have black hair & my hubby’s blond. So far it looks like my kids have my skin coloring, which is good so they won’t get wicked sunburns!

If you could try to look as suspicous as your son I think you and Riley would look even more alike. And how adorable would that picture be? I can just see it, send out the family portrait of suspicous looking faces in the Christmas Cards. I personally would find it hilarious.

Okay- now I am confused. Until I saw those pics, I thought Dylan looked more like you and Riley looked more like JB. I give up.