Thursday, August 6, 2009

The sincerest form of flattery

Ok, those of you without children will have to suffer this sentimental comment, but when all three of your toddlers start coming to you with outstretched arms and puckered lips and then place their slimy wet mouths on yours and say 'mwah' just like you have for 18 months? It's the best thing in the world. Kids learn so much just watching what we do and studying how we do things that they will amaze you. A has been 'kissing' on demand for some time, but the boys never showed a propensity. Why did they all of a sudden 'get it?'

A has been an imitator for a long time. She was the first one to get that you smile back when smiled to. Then she started fake laughing when we laughed. I think girls are naturally more likely to get those type of social interaction things sooner. So she soon realized that imitation brings attention. My little flirt loves attention!

Conversely, J loves to be imitated. He starts with a noise and we copy and he does it back and he thinks it's hilarious. But clearly he watches because, while he's always the last to do new things like walking, he does it quicker. He learns from their mistakes, watches them figure it out and then just does it. Smart little bugger.

B imitates his siblings and immediately wants whatever one of them has. He's not so into imitating us but he sure wants our attention. He is the king of tantrums where his eyes constantly rove around looking to see who's being affected by it (Grandma!) and who is going to come to his rescue (bad Grandma!) He is a great clown with funny facial expressions and body postures that just make you laugh out loud.

It's amazing how kids learn by imitating, but it makes you start to think what kind of role model you are providing. I need to get up off my butt, because if they imitate me they're going to be couch potatoes from minute one. They will also be complainers. Perhaps they will catch a little of my frustration level and be grumpy. I hope not. Because they are such cheerful little people right now, unless they're fighting over toys. I will have to make sure I'm a more positive person so I rub off on them the 'right way.'

Although having another 'hilariously sarcastic' person in the house might not be terrible?


5 comments:

  1. It still amazes me how they learn and practise new things and how each child does it all so differently.

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  2. It's so cool that they all have their individual personallites! I love little puckered lips coming at me for wet sloppy kisses!!

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  3. I think they'll pick up a little bit of you and a little bit of their dad and a little bit of each other in their personalities, mixed in with their own uniqueness. we say we don't like to be like our moms or dads, but really, who else influence us the most in our early days? so of course we'll pick up a little of them (or a lot of them). However, in saying that, just because they might turn out a bit grumpy if you tend to be grumpy, that doesn't mean they have to be that trait for the rest of their lives if they choose not to be, right? Its neat to see their individual personalities too, rather than "just" all lumped together as the triplets.

    I didn't mention this before, but when we lived in Oregon years ago, next door we had triplet girls. They were all unique too in their personalities, like your children are. they were the same age as my daughter so they were great playmates and they had a younger brother (I think he was 3 years younger than them) who was a year younger than my son so there were lots of good times they had together.

    enjoy the day

    betty

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  4. Oh how I cant wait for that moment. =) While we do get kisses on demand, rarely will they just walk up and give kisses. Its funny too, because as you were describing each of your babies personality traits I thought "oh thats my Lainey, yep thats Nick, that definitely Gabe". They sound so similar. Maybe its a triplet thang.

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