There is so much truth in sayings like “she’s just a chip off the old block.” Eliza’s two favorite things to say right now are, “I can do it” and “I know.” (Right now my mom is already keeled over in hysterics because I’m pretty sure these were the first two phrases out of my mouth.)
For example, these are normal conversations we have on a daily basis. (In fact, these all happened this morning.)
Me: “Eliza, would you like me to help you strap yourself in?” Eliza: “No I can do it.”
Me: “You are just TOO cute.” Eliza: “I know.”
Me: “Let’s put on your shoes.” Eliza: “I can DO IT!”
Me: “You look so fancy with your sunglasses on.” Eliza: “I know.”
Even though I don’t remember saying these things to my parents (perhaps in part because I was too young to have a recollection of it, and perhaps a little from what I will call “protective mental blockage”), they have told me stories about me acting the exact same way when I was a little girl.
They have also assured me throughout my life that they prayed God would give me a daughter just — like — me. (Does EVERY parent say this?) It appears they got their wish. What I’m wondering is if that is so bad. Am I best equipped to deal with a know-it-all because I myself am one? (For example, this weekend I went to dinner with some girlfriends and the restaurant made the mistake of putting white paper over the tablecloth, inviting us to display our creativity. What I decided to do was play tic-tac-toe, among other things. I told my friend, Irene, after starting the first game and winning, “If you start in tic-tac-toe and lose, there’s something wrong with you. Okay, you start this game.”)
What if our kids came out nothing like either parent? Wouldn’t that be harder?
I imagine from knowing both of my parents’ personalities that they BOTH were guilty of saying “I know” and “I can do it” to my grandparents. And they all survived. So cheers to the hereditary cycle. My “apple of my eye” certainly didn’t fall far from the tree.
I can't even pee in peace 
I know.
You know…little folks tend to tell the truth, or what they percieve as the truth. Genetics may be the cause, but a bit might be that youth has a commonality that is innocent, lacking a in subterfuge, and we lose that as we get wiser (?). Oh, by the way I understand there is a sympton that sometimes happens when no parental traits are passed along. Divorce, I guess. I don’t understand DNA tests and all that stuff my human mumbles about.
Sandy
http://www.sandysays1.wordpress.com
I would far prefer “I can do it” to “I do it MYSELF!” which was J’s daily (and by daily I mean about 50x daily) mantra for about a month. Thankfully she is now past that stage and onto the stage of wanting me to do everything for her- even things she most definitely can do herself. BLAH.
I would ALSO prefer “I know.” to the “I dunno Mommy” I get from J these days- about everything under the sun. Where did she get this laissez-faire attitude from??? I ask her what color dress Cinderella is wearing and she says “I dunno” when she most definitely KNOWS!
Can we please get them together more so that Eliza can rub off a bit on J?? :p
And for the record- it should be noted that I didn’t play tic-tack-toe because I wasn’t gonna take the chance of finding out that something was wrong with me if I lost. LOL