It took me a little while to figure out exactly what she was saying. After hearing it a few times, however, I finally determined that 17-month-old Gabrielle has been shouting out “Who is it?” every time the telephone rings. She is copying me. Many times when the phone rings I call out “Who is it?’ so one of the older kids will check the caller ID for me before I pick up.
Gabrielle also likes to play “cooking,” with pots, pans, and wooden spoons scattered all over the kitchen floor. Another favorite game is “sweeping” which involves going around the house with my broom, whisking sand and dirt in all directions.
But Gabrielle isn’t the only copycat around here. One recent day Juliette emerged from the bathroom with what looked like two black eyes. Upon closer examination, however, I realized that she was only wearing a bit of Mama’s makeup: eyeliner and mascara applied with 4-year-old precision. She blinked at me innocently.
“You look pretty,” I told her.
The boys tend to copy Dan more than they do me– I frequently see miniature bits and pieces of my husband in the ways they play, talk, and even in the way they cheer on their favorite sports teams.
Our children are watching us all the time, whether or not we like it and whether or not we even notice. May all that we say and do be worthy of their watching.