When Madeline was born and I was finally able to join her at her bedside, I used to search her face for signs of family. Even with her face swollen from medications, I could see Mike, myself, our siblings, etc., all there in her tiny features. It was amazing to have this little person that tied us all together.

When Annabel was born, I examined her closely, looking for family but mostly looking for Madeline. At first, she did resemble her sister, in tiny ways. But she quickly grew into her own person, and I think it’s much better that way. I do sometimes wish that they looked a bit more like siblings, even though I think it’s great that they are so unique.

So of course, when James was born, I inspected his face to see who he looked like. Madeline had my fair coloring, while Annabel possessed Mike’s Portuguese skin and eyes. Where was James going to fall? He came out quite fair, and while he had the same shock of hair that both of his sisters were born with, the girls’ hair was jet black while James’s hair is brown with blonde at the temples. I see my own features in him the way I did with Madeline and did not with Annabel. But I see Annabel in him, too.

I have a silly hope (because it really doesn’t matter) that James will continue to be the link – that when you put pictures of the three of them together, James will be the one that makes it obvious that they are all siblings. I’ve already found links between the three of them that make me happy. They all have the same chin. They have similar noses (I think Maddie and James have the same nose, and Annie’s is a smaller version of theirs). They have the same head shape (c-section for the win!). They have the same sweet lips that I love to kiss.

I’m excited to see the faces James and Annabel grow into. And I hope that they keep their similarities, so I can imagine what face Madeline would have grown into as well.

No more tubes!
Madeline

26/365: Tiny Face
Annabel

Untitled