My Little Imitator

The other day something happened that has been on my mind ever since.

I was getting ready for work in the morning, and as usual Lydia was following me around saying "up, up" with a look of desperation in her eyes. I picked her up, put a towel in the sink and let her sit and play with my make up as I finished my mascara. I looked down and she had my make-up brush in her hand, stroking it across her face. I smiled and responded, "Silly baby, you don't need make-up. You are too pretty for that." Then I stopped...

After that moment I started noticing like crazy all the ways that Lydia has begun to imitate. She tries to repeat whatever you say, she holds the phone up to her ear and says "hi", she brings me her toy cupcakes smacking her lips and offering me a bite, and she makes a kissing sound each time David walks in the door and we kiss. This girl is already watching and learning, which is so incredible and also kind of crazy.

For me, parenting has been one of the major ways that God has implemented change in my life. All of the sudden I have someone depending on me, and now modeling me, who I love with all of my heart. Just like any other mother, I want what is best for my daughter. I want her to be confident, kind, patient, humble, generous, loving, and so many more things. And I am really starting to realize that the best way for her to learn these qualities is to see them in me.

There was also comfort in this realization though. Sometimes I freak out about all of the things I have to teach my daughter. Don't lie! Be yourself! Be kind to other people! But, as all of us know, children (and people in general) don't learn by being told - they learn by example. So to teach Lydia I simply have to model the qualities that I hope and pray she will have.

And I need to watch what I say - I don't put on make-up because I think I am not pretty! I put it on because it is fun, and I think it enhances my natural beauty :) Why do we automatically say silly things like that?