Family Traits

Facial recognition is all about layers of information.  The first time you see someone, the top layer is quick impressions.  Eyebrows big or small?  How do the eyes fit in the face?  What’s the mouth like?  Next time you meet them you pick up more subtleties.  Does the nose droop slightly?  Are there little dimples?  With time your first impressions are overshadowed by your understanding of the person.  Maybe at first you think someone is attractive but if you come to learn their personality is sour, haughty, vapid, you will no longer see them as attractive.  Conversely at first you may not notice someone’s looks, but their personality is so beautiful, cheerful, that you believe them to be beautiful.  Yeah yeah, it’s skin deep.

Now onto the meat of the post.  With little kids, especially your own, you see hints of family looks in them.  Maybe it’s grandpa’s eyes, or mom’s face shape.  With Toddler Harbat, I’ve seen her as almost a carbon copy of my wife when she was this age.  Her facial characteristics seem to come almost exclusively from my wife’s side of the family.  Which is why I was surprised when I saw this picture:

That’s me as a young boy (never mind the outfit!), and I look a lot like Toddler Harbat.  Or vice versa.  I can’t really tell if it’s something in the eyes, or maybe the hair color or the chubby face.  Maybe we’re not cut from the same cloth, but she’s a quilt and has a piece of me.

Writer, architect, father, husband.

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3 comments on “Family Traits
  1. Why are your feet as big as your head? Sweet shoes. Actually, what’s surprising to me is the way your smile has been consistent for 30 years!

  2. akamonsoon says:

    I can totally see her in you. I’d say the eyes definitely.

  3. Babs says:

    Like father – like daughter. And what’s wrong with the outfit?? I think it’s adorable! Same smile, same face–always considerate and thoughtful.