Once many years ago, when family had all descended upon my parents' home for an extended weekend or visit of some sort, my brother-in-law mistook me for my sister. I was standing at the kitchen counter and he came up the stairs from the basement, looked in my direction and said, "Hi, sweetie."
Don't get me wrong. I really do love my brother-in-law. But, uh, sweetie? That might be a little awkward. Now, in his defense, it WAS early in the morning and he had yet to put on his glasses or put in his contacts. Unassisted, his vision isn't all that great, so it would be a pretty easy mistake to make. It also happens on the phone... if my Mom, sister and I all happen to be in the same place at once, good gracious, good luck figuring out which one of us is on the phone. More than one misplaced "I love you" has been uttered by more than one spouse. We'll leave it at that.
When I was younger, it made me insane. And probably my sister too. I mean, who really wants to be asked if your sister, four years older (or younger) is your twin? Not a big deal when your twenty and twenty four, but when your sixteen and twelve? Yeah. Didn't go over too well.
Thing is, people that know us both really well claim they can't see the similarities... I would imagine that's mostly because of personality. While we are a lot alike, we are different in so many ways. And when you know us, you know those differences. At the same time, there are certainly things that we can do to accentuate the similarities. I wore my hair curly to church last week, and wore a maternity dress that belongs to my sister. When I walked into the chapel, even my husband had to look twice to make sure it was me.
(Inkmom has beautiful naturally curly hair, and while she can straighten it, she doesn't often. So curly hair means Inkmom. Except... pregnancy or late onset puberty or something has suddenly put a good deal more curl than I've ever experienced in my own hair. Wearing it curly is something new... I'm loving how easy it is, and the versatility I have to wear it one way or the other. Hopefully it will last beyond pregnancy?)
Curly hair or straight, I think the older we get, the more I see the similarities between us. I will catch a reflection of myself in a store or car window, and see my sister. When looking through pictures, I'll see one of her, and double check to make sure it isn't actually me.
I've been asked if it annoys me. And maybe a long time ago it would have. But come on now. Have you seen my sister? It's not like its an insult to be told I look like her. I feel the same way when people tell me I sound/act/respond/talk exactly like my mother. (She and I don't look anything alike. I look more like my Dad. But oh my heavens, I am her in SO many other ways. Oddly enough, she and Inkmom DO look alike. Funny how genetics work.) I think my Mom is pretty awesome, so to remind someone of her? I'll consider that a compliment any day.
Inkmom and I have two brothers too. Generally, I don't think we've ever really thought we all look a whole lot alike, but there is one picture that screams siblings...
You see it, don't you? I think it's the smile. And the set of our eyes.
When I first thought to write this post, I thought it would be great to have even more pictures to share... pictures of curly hair and straight hair, pictures of Inkmom and I together, and what not. But um, I'm all big and pregnant and stuff and do my very best to avoid the camera as often as possible. And I don't really have all that many pictures of my sister on hand. You want to see her kids? I have files and files of those, but her? Not so much. So. I stole her profile picture from her blog... here it is, with my own profile picture to follow.
What do you think? Would you mix us up?
