The Gene Pool

I had to run by Walgreens today to pick up some diapers. Picture me, carrying Zi on my hip as Eden walks merrily to the checkout counter, diapers in hand. Such a good little helper, you know.

Cashier lady says to Eden: "What a beautiful head of hair! You must get that from your daddy!"

Me: (thinking to self: you could have left off the second part. An internal dialogue censor might be a benefit to your otherwise very friendly personality.) I proceed to pull out a photo insert from my wallet containing 13 pictures of myself as a child fully intending to prove her wrong. SEE!! Here I am, with long, curly, much thicker than it is now, hair!! Her face looks a lot like mine as a child too and our eyes are the exact same shade of hazel! Which is actually pretty unique as hazel is the least common of all four eye colors!

In reality, I just stood there, eyes glazed over, having this reaction in my head and imagining what the lady would have said or done if I had been so bold. Instead, I just said "Thanks! Yep, she gets it from her Daddy!"

As we left, I pondered our encounter and wondered why my inner reaction was so strong. Maybe I feel a sense of entitlement as the Mom. You know, the one who endured pregnancy sickness(an understatement), night after night of interrupted and uncomfortable sleep, unusual cravings and aversions, stretch marks, giving up of my pre-baby body for an older and more worn out version, heartburn, weight gain in both normal and abnormal places (ahem, seriously? An extra chin? Knee flab?!) having to pee no less than 245 times every day, and last but certainly not least...fake contractions, real contractions, labor and oh yes, delivery. And then the real fun begins. :-)

Please don't get me wrong, this is not a Daddy bash!! Daddies do their share of hard work no doubt. I love and appreciate Jona more than I could ever even put into words. After all, it's not HIS fault that I was the one chosen to carry and birth our children. It's just that...for all that we women go through to bring a child into this world, it is nice every now and again for someone to affirm our hard work and endurance with a little verbal recognition!!

Color me sensitive I guess. Thankfully, about 5 minutes down the road I can't help but smile as I hear Eden parenting Zi in the back seat:

In the most loving voice she says, "Ohhhh Ziiiion....ZION! Don't go to sleep now, honey pie! We are almost to Nanny's house!! We will be there in JUST.ONE. MINUTE."

And then I realize, that no matter what other people say or think, she doesn't get everything from her Daddy. :-)