What have I become?

A certain co-worker of mine, who will remain nameless, often posts large pictures of abstract art created by his post-toddler on the door to his office. Both the inside and the outside of the door so that those of us lucky enough to reside near his office space can enjoy these masterpieces both when he is here and when he is not. Oh joy.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for cheering on your child and am positive that I too will post my own Gabby's artwork proudly once she realizes that crayons are not actually a food group but rather vessels to display one's creativity. But, please shoot me if you ever see me posting such works on my office door or even worse outside my office door, just below my name placard. My co-workers already think I am crazy and there is just no reason to add to their suspicions.

I guess that we each have moments where we ask ourselves "What have I become?" Perhaps that moment springs to mind as you spit-shine your child's face just the way you swore you never would do. Or maybe it comes when you find yourself repeating something your mother always said to you. In Gabby's short nearly 11 months of life, I have already found myself instinctivly employing parenting traits I swore I would avoid. Great. Failing already. It's just that I can't stand picking my baby girl up from "school" only to find reminants of her breakfast, lunch and snacks stuck inside of her ear, along her eyebrow and in her hair. And although I fight the urge as long as I can, I seldom make it home without giving her a quick spit-shine because let's face it, having rice cereal and sweet potatoes in one's ears is not just gross but also just plain wrong and very itchy!

So, although I am not quite ready to say that I have become my mother, I do admit to have inherited some of her parenting traits - the spit-shine being one of them (most unfortunatly).