Sing It!

I have complained in the past of feeling like I am parroting my mother when it comes to parenting my children. I have begun to change my mind about that as of late. Now that I am living in my folks' house, I no longer feel like I am parroting her-- I am channeling her!!! I swear that I am becoming my mother in her absence. 


It's not that I don't love her, mind you. I would just rather be myself. My own person. And maybe, just maybe, the characteristics and sayings I find myself mirroring are the ones that drove me a tad crazy in my youth. To hear myself saying the same phrases and doing those same things.... Ack! Talk about a shock to the system!


One of the things that I found slightly embarrassing and annoying as a youth was my mom's penchant for breaking into song. It's all about keyword triggers, you see. Mention the state of Oklahoma in a sentence? Be ready to hear the theme song from "Oklahoma!".  Mention the word "sugar" as you bake cookies together? All of the sudden you're baking with Mary Poppins! (At least she has a good singing voice! My mom, I mean. Well, and Mary does too, of course.)


I, too, break into song on occasion because of a keyword trigger. I have siblings who do it. And now, I have children who do it. Were we born to do it? Or have we been conditioned to do so? Nature or Nurture? Maybe it's not my mom's fault! Maybe it's in the genes!


The other day, Rophone and I were talking about how different his body looks since his abdomen has been "cleaned out", as it were-- both because of antibiotics and the preparations for his colonoscopy. 


As Rophone probed his belly, he remarked on how much less firm it is. The second the word "firm" was out of his mouth, Bud piped up in his clear, beautiful voice with "How Firm a Foundation..."-- a hymn from church! Thus pairing talk of constipation and clean colons with spiritual song!


It was then that I decided it surely can't be helped. 

P.S. I love you, Mom! ; )