nature or nurture?

first off, let me say that my kids are AMAZING. i love them so much, and i wouldn't change a thing about either of them.

my sweet lorelei recently started taking dance class, and it got me thinking about how so many parents want their children to grow up to be just like them. i am not one of those parents. i so often find myself hoping that my daughter will be able to find her own way and be her own person while learning to love jesus and follow his plan for her life.

so if she loves dance and wants to pursue it, i'll be there for every recital and competition. but- if she would rather play soccer, join the marching band or become an artist or accountant- i plan to be equally supportive. i just wonder how much of her already developing personality comes from genetics and how much she's picked up by living in our home.

like the fact that her teachers told me this week that when her bff sophie (pictured above) is out of school, lorelei plays only with the boys. when i asked her about it, she responded, "sophie is a girl, but otherwise i just like devin and kyle at school." no matter how much this may sound like me- i did NOT teach it to her.

or last halloween when she was 2 years old and i told her some of her friends were coming over. "we'll eat pizza and play," i said. and she quickly shot back, "and then parker will marry me in my minnie mouse skirt!" again- NOT my doing. sure we watch our share of cinderella and little mermaid around here, but i make sure to mix in an equal amount of bugs life and robin hood to keep the balance.

now, i admit that the day she looked at jeremy across the dinner table and commanded, "daddy, stop pushing my buttons,"- that was all me. i guess i just wonder how much of this stuff she's learning from my example and how much i'm just trying to fight genetics when she seems too emotional or stubborn.

luckily, she has picked up a few of her daddy's most admirable qualities like being extremely observant and having a memory like an elephant. about two days ago i was combing her hair and out of the blue she said, "hey mom- remember that day at swim lessons when hudson kept a bite of his dinner in his mouth the whole time? that was funny, huh?" that incident was in early june, and no one has mentioned it since. this girl remembers everything.

she got some of my good qualities, too. the kid can sing sone lyrics back to you after only hearing it once, and she is so maternal that she has never become jealous of her baby brother. so- next time i find myself worrying that she will make the same mistakes i do, or getting a bit weary from her endless banter and emotional melt downs- i'll just thank god for this precious, unique creation... and thank my mom-- once again-- for putting up with me all these years!