Am I really like that?

Have you ever looked at your children and tried to discern what characteristics they have that are just like you? Sometimes I hear something my children say, and I think "Oh no, they sound just like me." It's usually something I would rather have not taught them, but that's a different blog entry. Actually that's the previous blog entry. But what I'm talking about is who they really are. Their likes, dislikes. Their personality quirks. It can be quite frightening, as well as really insightful into who they are. It definitely can be a bond between you.

I love the fact that Jordan and I have this common love of books, reading and learning. I think in this aspect, we are the most alike. Take us both to Barnes and Noble and we will be content for hours. Years ago, we both confessed to typing in our heads when people spoke. I told her I thought that was a sign of being gifted since we both had it and we knew she was gifted... hence saying that I too was gifted. She replied, "I don't think so." She has since moved onto translating into French everything that she hears, and I have tried to refrain from my weird little habit. But all in all, we are a lot alike. And I love that.

In Jack, I see myself in several of his personality characteristics. Unfortunately, I think I gave him several quirks that cause us both a lot of turmoil. Perfectionism and thus rage with frustration. But aside from the perfectinist rage fits, we do have our good points. Our love of children and babies. He is the only 9 year old boy I know who loves babies. He loves babies in movies, in books, at the grocery store, at church. This boy has some weird radar that seeks out all the pregnant women and/or newborns within a 10 mile radius. The competetiveness, I confess, he gets from his father.

Jaiden and I have our craftiness in common. Give us both paper products or scrapbook materials, and we would both be happy for eternity. We both share a flare for the emotional breakdown from time to time, but overall Jaiden is me on my best day. She's artsy and stable, and loves starting projects. She's helpful and sweet and full of good ideas.

Justine. Justine is what began me even thinking about this topic. She is me in that she loves to play house and with her baby dolls. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she simply says a mom with 6 kids. Sound familiar? But playing house with her is like an acid trip. Today, we were playing house. Her husband had died (he always dies when we play house, perhaps too many Disney movies with missing parents?) Anyway, when I asked her how her husband died, she said, "He was killed." Long dramatic, drawn out pause... "By ninjas." Everyday is like this. She has several children who suffer all kinds of horrible afflictions, and she's always a widow by the age of 5. She is me on LSD.