Like father, like son

Sometimes watching your child grow is like looking in a mirror. You start to see yourself in that little body -- and it can be the coolest thing in the world. Or the scariest.

When a baby is born, everyone -- relatives, friends, complete strangers -- wants a glimpse of the little creature. And you see their eyes, as they peek in on tiny Yoda, glance occasionally in the direction of the parents. You know what's coming, don't you? Of course you do.  He's got Mommy's eyes. Or he's got Daddy's oversized nose. Now I know my vision isn't what it used to be, but I just don't see these things. Newborns, to me, barely look human.
The Newborn
Yoda

By the time those babies become toddlers, you do start to see some of these things. For instance, like me, my son has a cowlick -- a projecting tuft of hair on the head that grows in a different direction from the rest of the hair and just will not lie flat. Most likely he will have to live with this inherited trait all his life. And if he's anything like me, he will curse it each and every one of those days, because no matter how many hair products he tries, that little tuft of hair will never cooperate.

But there are more than just physical characteristics that we share. For better or worse (usually worse), I'm starting to see The Toddler display many of the mannerisms and behaviors that I thought I owned the rights to.

Peanuts danceFor instance, The Toddler seems to have inherited some of his father's better dance moves. When he first was learning to dance, I was concerned. He did this thing where both of his arms were outstretched behind him with palms up and looked not unlike a Peanuts cartoon character. At stage two he had a frenzied, spinning Tazmanian devil dance. That had me a bit scared. But at stage three, around 19 months, he really advanced. From a squat position, much like a midget sumo wrestler, with arms facing forward and wrists clenched, he moves his torso from side to side. You can tell he's starting to really feel the music, just like his father. Now if only he could work on that overbite.

The Toddler also has picked up his father's unflattering habit of whining and moaning whenever things don't go exactly as he planned. He also cries at the sight of a doctor, just like his father.

But I can most see The Toddler in me when he strikes a Sunday afternoon pose with a bag of Cheetos cradled in his arms. As a father, I couldn't be more proud.
    Say, "Cheese!"(I'm sad to say that after seeing the photo below, Mommy banned Daddy from providing The Toddler with Cheetos ever again. Hopefully, for The Toddler's sake, Mommy will show mercy and lift this prohibition. Just look at the joy on that cheesy face.)

Comments

[Rodney Dangerfield]

The Cheetos stains remind me of an old joke. In a nutshell----a retired man goes to the doctor because his penis is orange. The doctor asks what he does all day and the old man replied, "I sit around and eat Cheetos and watch porn"

[Randy Richardson]

I think Rodney Dangerfield just turned in his grave.

[Gran]

I, for one, LOVE that little Cheetos face!