Just Like Mommy

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

It’s amazing how much little ones can learn just by watching.  At 17 months old, ‘Cakes can make phone calls from her Daddy’s cell phone — which isn’t such a great thing when she calls San Francisco and wakes up Coach Bryan.  She can operate the stereo and the remote control to the television.  In fact, this morning she changed the channel from Morning Joe to Sid the Science Kid.  How does she DO that? 

Babycakes insists on sitting at the table on a regular chair JUST LIKE MOMMY.  This is how I end up looking like a used napkin by the end of the meal.  When her food is gone, she conveniently just slides onto my lap and proceeds to gobble whatever is on my plate.  She has an amazing appetite for someone so small.  Last night, I got up when the phone rang and when I returned to the table she was sitting in my seat eating my dinner with my fork.   

In the mornings, we hang out together as a family catching up on the news and sipping coffee in the living room.  Babycakes will cheers everyone with her milk cup, but then spends the next ten minutes trying to figure out how to get my coffee mug.  “Hot?” she’ll ask.  Yes, dear, it’s very hot.  “Mine?”  No, dear, it’s Mommy’s.  “Monkey?”  Yes, there’s a monkey on the cup.  “Mine?”  No, it’s still not for you.  On Saturday morning, we had coffee at the table and when I wasn’t looking she dipped her bagel in my coffee.  “MMMMmmmmmm!”  Someone should make a sippy cup that looks just like a coffee cup.  Do you hear that Thermos?  Make baby coffee cups!  Then she can be JUST LIKE MOMMY. 

At least once a day, we spend about fifteen minutes sitting at the piano together.  She will not let me play any music for her, instead she is in command of the keyboard.  If I try to play, she rips my hands from the keys and yells, “Nooooo!”  When she finishes a piece, she flips through the music like a pro until she finds something suitable for her mood.  Ah, yes, that’s it — Opus 56 in E major. 

All children imitate their loved ones.  This is precisely why we must be vigilant with our words and actions because little ears & eyes are always listening and watching.  And soon enough, repeating!