In my dreams, I had always envisaged the joy of having a daughter. When the ticking clock of anticipation finally revealed that my firstborn was a girl, my joy knew no bounds. Now, at the age of three, bordering on four, my beautiful little girl has exceeded even the grandest of my expectations.
With her kind heart, infectious laughter, remarkable intelligence, and stunning beauty, she is my living doll and our bond is both profound and mutual. What has come as a surprise, is that I've noticed I've started to deliberately mirror her habits, a tangent to the expected transmitted resemblance that comes from the shared gene pool.
It's a phenomenon that I reckon stems from the deep-seeded connection and considerable time I’ve invested in raising her. Here are five instances that illustrate the interesting evolution I’ve experienced as a mother – a transformation into an extension of my own daughter.
The first of these peculiar changes revolves around my newfound fondness for shiny hair accessories. My daughter received a set of glistening hairbands, a novelty that piqued my curiosity and urged me to try one on, which multiplied into wearing them frequently, unconcerned about the astonished glances. Now, they're an intricate part of my everyday attire, making me feel like a princess within my own castle of motherhood. Is it too farfetched to yearn a touch of royalty in daily life?
Next is a surprising addition to my list of cherished films: 'Frozen'. Initially introduced as a medium to entertain my enthusiastic daughter, the movie has seeped into my daily routine. My week remains incomplete if I don't watch it a few times and the echoing melodies of its soundtrack have become my daily auditory delight. The perpetual wish of executing conjured magic like Elsa doesn't escape me either.
Moving on, my dining habits have undergone ostensibly childish modifications as well. Preparing meals for my kids all day, it's simpler and time-saving to eat what they eat than crafting a separate spread for myself. Thus, I find myself consuming kid-friendly snacks and meals incessantly, an oddity surprisingly enhanced by the innate yumminess of these food items!
Being in the company of my little girl, brimming with curiosity and teeming with endless questions has also affected my interactions. As a journalist, a profession itself founded on inquisition, I am naturally inclined towards interrogations. But, this inherent trait has been amplified significantly since becoming the mother of my query-filled little angel. The one question resurging persistently is 'why?', constantly echoing within the household.
Lastly, amongst all the evolving attributes, my yearning for my own mother escalated radically after my dive into motherhood. It is every bit as rewarding, fun, and life-altering as one expects, yet it ranks among the toughest challenges I've faced. My daughter isn't the only one craving for her mama – I occasionally find myself battling the urge to blurt out 'I want my mommy!', only restraining myself because a full-blown tantrum wouldn’t suit the adult me, or would it?
At this juncture, it would be interesting to know how many of you resonate with my experience. How are you being constantly modeled anew by your own kids? Perhaps the shared experiences of other parents would render new insights to the fascinating transformations parenthood brings about.