Kiss me, I'm ... Norwegian?

Look at me. Now, look at Cory. Now, look at me. Of the two of us, I'm fairly certain most people would agree that I am the one bringing the Irish genes to the table. I've got green eyes, fair skin, freckles and red hair. Cory has dark hair, and he actually tans. Only that assumption would be all wrong. A little known fact about Cory - his first name is actually Patrick. Patrick Lafferty. Patrick O'Lafferty if you trust the family lore about the origins of the last name. He's got Irish coming out of his pores. Me, on the other hand, I'm pretty much a melting pot of Northern Europe. According to the genealogy research done by my family, I've got English, Scottish, and even Norwegian roots. Heck, both my mom and I were born in Germany (on Army bases, but still ... ) However, not so much of the Irish.*

So, with me having red hair and Cory's Irish heritage, you'd think there would've been hope for some little redheaded babies. Nope. Apparently the whole of Cory's dark-haired side of the family way overpowered my little redhead genes. In family pictures, I look like the odd man out. Nobody ever says my girls look like me like they do about my cousin and her daughter. One time, some woman even asked me where Molly got her curls. Really?!?! That's the one thing I feel I can claim on the child!

Despite all this, I really enjoy St. Patrick's Day. Not so much the crazy wild drinking, but I enjoy the dressing up in green and celebrating all things Irish. It may have something to do with being a photo-op for the girls (they have really cute St. Patty's Day scrapbooking kits, afterall), or maybe that it signals the beginning of spring, but we all have to dress up and document it. I may not have redheaded girls, but I will force my little brownish-blondish-haired girls to dress in green and pose with me on St. Patrick's Day. And, if we keep Cory out of the picture, maybe I don't look like such an outsider.

So, here we go with the 2011 St. Patrick's Day photos:

I gotta credit my friend Megan with getting all of us looking and smiling. A true St. Patrick's Day miracle, if you ask me.

Charlotte: No one can find any resemblance to me in her.

Molly and her friend Avery. We got asked about 4 times that day if they were twins. So, apparently Molly looks more like her completely unrelated friend than she does like me.

I may not have gotten the little redheaded baby girls I once dreamed I would have, but I guess that means that they at least won't have to deal with the cruel teasing and nicknames given to all of us redheads. One less thing to worry about, I suppose. And, I can always hope for some redheaded grandchildren. Afterall, my Grandma Henry, a beautiful redhead, was 0-3 for kids with red hair, but was 4-7 with grandkids. There is hope!

Kiss me, I'm at least somewhat Irish!

*Correct me if I'm wrong with any of that genealogy stuff. (I'm looking at you, Mom.)