Is it common to outgrow your childhood version to the point you look different?

[Bostonbutterfly]

I visited my old childhood friend I haven't seen since we were 12 year-olds and she thought I was a stranger. I looked nothing like how she knew me as, didn't have the braids anymore and very few freckles. She remembered me as a then 5ft (now 5'9 and bigger frame too) short girl, baby-faced and much thinner, different looks, braids and lots of freckles.

Is this common? For some people to look totally different as a kid vs an adult. She said I've totally changed in appearances and if it wasn't for FB she wouldn't have recognize me.

[Blueeyes81]

Yes. My parents had a 50th wedding anniversary a few weeks back. I saw family I haven't seen in 25 years. I spent a lot of time with them through my teens and none of them recognized me now.

[Bostonbutterfly]

True it's interesting how we can change so much over the years. Then again from age 12 to 20 can be quite a lot of difference too. I look back at my childhood pictures and it's amazing the smaller clothes and shoes I used to fit. Now it's a size 10 shoes and bigger clothes.

[Adogdog]

I've changed a lot since I was a child but have had little change in the past 5 years or so.

[Bostonbutterfly]

Yeah I look back at my old childhood pictures from ages 9-12 and looked nothing similar to them. I was a short kid back then. It turns out, I had the tall genes from my parents but I was just a late bloomer. By growing taller, it changed everything and I lost that baby-face. Oh well.

[Adogdog]

Hahaha, I am told I still have the bay face lol

[Christoff92]

Yeh. That's normal.