Genetics - brown/blonde babies

[Anonymous]

My DH and I were both total white-blonde babies. Both still pretty dirty blonde hair as adults. First DD was very, very blonde as a baby. Then, along comes 2nd DD and she is..... Dark brown haired!? So adore her gorgeous chestnut hair (sticks straight up in the air and I LoVE it!) but just didn't expect it. Any other parents out there who were surprised about certain genetic traits?

[Anonymous]

Blond is recessive, so it makes sense one kid had brown hair.

I was surprised my son had blond hair, again because it's recessive, and my husband is North African.

[Anonymous]

Infant hair color should not be relied upon as the genetic trait. Many babies are born blond and become dark haired, or born black haired and become blond, or red haired, or whatever. Your DD's true hair color may not have been expressed yet.

[Anonymous]

DH and I are both have dark brown hair and brown eyes so expected our kids to have the same. DS #1 was born with brown hair that quickly changed to bleach blond (now at 3 it is dirty blond) and has blue eyes. Looking like DS #2 will have dark brown hair and blue eyes.

[Anonymous]

My nephew had super blonde, practically white hair until he was 12 and then it became a medium brown. I had light, reddish brown hair as a youngster and now my hair is naturally dark brown. My husband had very blonde hair and now has what I'd describe as "dirty blonde" hair. Conversly, my sister had dark brown hair as a child and now has auburn hair.

All of which is to say that baby hair color isn't necessarily going to stick. Also, it's amazing how hair/eye color can jump a generation. My neice has red hair and no one in her family including her parents have red hair. She also has very vibrantly green eyes. But apparently a great grandmother on her mom's side had red hair / green eyes. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

DH and I are both brown and one of our kids is as blond as can be, with green eyes!

[Anonymous]

DH and I are like you, we were both super blonde as little kids, and now dirty blonde (I get some assistance..) both our kids were born with jet black hair that eventually turned blonde, which was so strange and I elicited a lot of milkman as the father jokes. Neither kid ever had the white blonde hair that DH and I had and you'd think with two blonde parents, they would be blonder.

[Anonymous]

DH was white blonde until about 7 and now has very dark brown hair. I had light brown hair which turned dark brown as I got older. We both have brown eyes. DC#1 was born with strawberry blonde hair and striking blue eyes. Everyone told us her eye would change but they have not at age 7. Her hair has turned to a more dirty blonde though. DC#2 was born with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. At age 4 I'm thinking they won't change.

My kids look absolutely nothing alike. DC#1 is the spitting image of DHs side and DC#2 is the spitting image of my father.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I are like you, we were both super blonde as little kids, and now dirty blonde (I get some assistance..) both our kids were born with jet black hair that eventually turned blonde, which was so strange and I elicited a lot of milkman as the father jokes. Neither kid ever had the white blonde hair that DH and I had and you'd think with two blonde parents, they would be blonder.

One of mine had dark brunette at birth then became a light streaky blond. Was/is absolutely gorgeous by any standard. Strangers approached and delicately complimented then leading to ask where I got the child [assumed adoption]. I remained polite since in that situation might be adoptive parent or some one struggling with infertility.

[Anonymous]

I have red hair and my parents both have brown. No idea where that came from.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I are both brown eyed, and each has one blue-eyed parent. We know how our son got his blue eyes, but it's still a big surprise!

(My MIL seems.not to understand genetics & keeps asking where her grandson got his eyes.)

[Anonymous]

I'm African American and my child came out with stick straight hair that has only become a tiny bit wavy over time. I got asked if she was mine... A LOT!

[Anonymous]

I have very dark hair and dark eyes. But I'm one of the only people in both my mom's and dad's side to have dark features. Everyone else is blond except my grandmother who is just like me. My son is blond, blue eyes and like PP I get asked a lot if he is mine.

[Anonymous]

Recessive genetics: Two blue eyed parents can only have blue eyed children. (unless their eyes are not really blue, but are grey --that is a dilution of the brown gene) Green eyes are a mix of brown + blue gene. Dilution gene is an aspect of another gene -- make it lighter, and is recessive.
True blondes, who remain blondes in adulthood without a trip to the hairdresser: If both parents are true blondes, all off spring will be blonde. Blonde + recessive dilution gene = white blond hair.
Blonde as kids, brown as adults have dominant brown gene. It is possible to have a double recessive blonde hair child, but (80% against) unlikely if both parents carry the brown gene. Genetics!

[Anonymous]

To the 9:11 PP - how do genetics come into play for IQ? I've always been curious about this. My IQ was higher than either of my parents' IQs. My husband is in the 140's and I'm in the high 130's; I'm curious about what that means for our daughter.