We live in a metropolitan area with over one million other people.
And yet, somehow, Ali and her inseparably best-friend-since-birth, AJ, have always looked oddly similar.
;
Bizarre, no?
Over the past couple of years, I thought that they had grown out of their identical phase – Ashley (AJ’s Mom) and I get significantly less “Are they twins?” questions when we’re out together, and their hair and height became very different.
Even when they match, they were still different.
Even when they’re both princesses, still different.
But yet, still oddly similar, especially after Ali’s hair cut and straightening.
Ali and AJ in the middle, their friends Averi and Joshua on each side.
A lot of the kids (and even adults) at church regularly get them mixed up, but I always assumed that it was because they were both there, all the time, for side-by-side comparison.
However.
Apparently they’re still more similar than I thought.
Chris and I took Ali and Noah to a local public park last Friday night. Chris was chasing Noah around and I was helping Ali climb up a tower.
A little girl at the top of the tower looked down at Ali and said,
“Hey. Do I know you?”
Ali looked up at her puzzled, and said, “No?”
Then she said, “Oh. For a minute, I thought you were my friend AJ.”
Whoa.
I asked, “Wait a minute. How do you know AJ?”
“I go to (such and such) with her.”
Sure enough, we were talking about the same AJ.
Did I mention that we live in a city with over one million people?
And yet, a complete stranger in completely unconnected surroundings can mistake Ali … for her best friend??
My head is still spinning.
And I’m thinking that Ashley and I need to do a genealogical study together.
I am struck alll the time by what a small town the Ham is.. I feel like everyone is connected!
Yes. Wouldn’t it be great if they made an app to subversively scan another person at the park, see all of your mutual Facebook friends and Twitter followers, and then decide whether you wanted to strike up a conversation with them or not?
“It’s a small world after all….”
Wow! I wonder if Ali and AJ spend so much time together that they share facial expressions and mannerisms. I once asked a good friend’s mom if my friend’s deceased dad that I never met was really tall because my friend is very tall and her mother is very short. I was shocked when her mother replied, “You know Christie’s adopted.” When I replied honestly “Christie looks so much like you!” Pat pointed out to me that what I was really noticing was their similar facial expressions and mannerisms. I paid attention after that and Pat was right. What my brain had always said was Christie looking just like her mother was Christie and her mother making the same facial expressions and using the same mannerisms as they go about their lives.
Yes, I definitely think that’s part of it – they have a LOT of the same expressions! And that makes total sense about your friend – I’ve actually never thought of that before!
That’s too funny! I used to help in cubbies and the first week I helped, one person mentioned that there were twins in the class. Well, I didn’t really know any of the kids and the twins (which are identical) weren’t there yet when Ali and AJ arrived so I thought that they were the twins that had been referred to until I talked to them and they said they were just friends! It really is amazing how many similarities they have!
I’m sure you’re not the only person that’s ever made that assumption in Cubbies!!
Wow, that is really crazy! I used to think they were at least cousins since they looked so similar. Now with the height difference it’s harder to see the resemblence. Maybe you and Ashley’s great-great-grandmothers were twins separated at birth. :)
Growing up, my best friend and I were asked constantly if we were twins.
Then in college, my best friend (different best friend) and I were asked if we were twins or at least sisters, and on a few occasions, even mistaken for each other!
Maybe similarities attract….
That definitely makes sense – I could buy that theory!
That’s crazy! My daughter had a little girl who she was always confused with….the similarities weren’t as clear as your daughter and AJ, but they looked so alike. Then the tween years came along and they look so completely different now that we look at old pictures and marvel that they ever looked alike.
I bet they do the same thing!! They have definitely gone through phases of looking more and less alike. But I feel they look less and less alike each year..
I think it is all cute since they are best friends. It is a small world. Our pharmacy tech still does not know if it is Kitty or Kelly when we go to pick up prescriptions. It has been 4 years.
I never thought about you and Kelly looking alike, but yes, I can see that!
Wow! It IS a small world. I think it’s so sweet that Ali has such a close friend at such a young age.