Personality

I know each child has his own personality but I've noticed some things they take from each parent. And I don't think it's from observing us so much as an inate part of the personality. So in some ways Alex is like me and in some ways like his dad. An of course there are some things that are just typical reaction because of his age and stage. He's noisy in his sleep, he'll talk and cry out just like his dad. I realized yesterday that it need for time between waking up and actually getting he also got from his dad. Ken sets his alarm for 5am. He hits the snooze 2-3 times so that he gets up at 5:20. Me on the other hand, I set the alarm for the time I want to get up and I get up. I've found that if I let Alex sit up in his room 10-15 minutes after I hear him wake up, in the morning or naptime, that when I go in I get a cheery "hi Mummy". If I don't I get tears. So he needs that time to wake up just like Ken.

On the other hand he's an early riser just like I was. I remember my mom telling stories from when I was three/four years old. I'd get up around the time my dad left for work. My mom is a late sleeper whenever she's given a chance. So a kid who's up at 6am everyday was not something she looked forward to. My sister was a lot like her, and liked her sleep. So we got into a routine where I'd get up, she left a box of cereal on the table for me. I'd take it into the livingroom, and watch TV with the volume so low if you were more than a foot away you couldn't hear it, eating cereal from the box. She'd get up a couple hours later and make us a hot breakfast.
So I'm having to deal with the same thing. Though most of the time I just need an extra hour. So it's been nice with him in a regular bed. He can get out and play with his toys and I can get a little extra sleep. When he was in the crib I had to get up with him because he wanted out so he could play.

Of course there is the drama which he comes by naturally from both of us and it's compunded by the nature of him just being two. I have to try so hard not to laugh sometimes. He'll drop something and I'll hear "OH NOOOO!, I can't reach it." And the item whatever it is, is next to his foot, his hand is two inches above it. All he needs to do is bend his knees. But he's acting like it's the end of the world. He of course realizes that I'm not going to get it for him within moments and bends down and picks it up. Then I congratulate him on doing it all by himself. It's just so hard to keep a straight face when he does this. It's a daily occurence, usually several times.

All this makes me wonder what tendencies this baby is going to take from each of us and add a little of his own to the mix. It's a little scary to think about.