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Imitation: Flattery?

Everyday it seems there is a new milestone, a new discovery, a new adventure. This week we’ve had one new tooth, standing alone, German Schwein-something, Oktoberfest, and baked beans. I truly believe that children are constantly learning, from the moment they wake up til the moment they go back to bed, and possibly something in between. As parents it can be easy to forget that our children are watching us, soaking in our actions, attitudes and behaviors. But as Eva showed me today, they are taking it all in: the Good, the Bad and the Vain.

In some ways it was cute, in others it kind of makes me shudder. We are in Munich and walked over to the English Garden to find a Biergarten less overrun than those we waded through at Oktoberfest yesterday. Finally finding a place to sit, I then had to figure out how to feed 2 children a little sausage (peeled and cut lengthwise into fourths and then into bites. Hot dogs = death traps. The exact size and shape of a kid’s airway.), while keeping them out of the mustard and away from the utensils, all while balancing on a skinny little bench. Anyway, we eventually wound up playing our favorite game, called “Empty Mommy’s Purse.” Right now, like an old-fashioned cereal box, the prize to be had is a shiny blue lipstick container.
Lipstick out, I let the two of them whap each other over the head for a while before boredom once again surfaced. So I took my lipstick and make a big show of putting it on my lips. Done, I looked done at Eva who looked up at me, opened her mouth and stuck her lips out in a perfect imitation. Then she held them there until I had covered her little lips with nude gloss. Holy Frijole. The kid is 11 months-old. And was a preemie!
G and I are usually very conscious of how our behavior is perceived by our little housemates but it is so easy to forget that little eyes are on us. Kids learn so much by watching. If I wanted proof, all I needed was today. A big fat reminder that they are observing, watching, monitoring me. I most certainly hope, however, that this week wasn’t “Language Development Week” because 800 kilometers on the Autobahn with 2 infants crying in the backseat led to some words not usually allowed in movie theaters with children under the age of 17. Of course, if Eva’s first word(s) is/are *&#(&$*#(@^#*$(#*@^#Mother(*#$(*&#*@&, I’m denying everything.

Dr. Lara Zibners, Oct 03, 2010

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