Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery...

I sure do love this little girl..

Emma is something else. Keep in mind this little girl is three. You wouldn't know it by the way she acts: she's obsessed with Justin Bieber, like has to listen to him every night, gonna marry him someday and cries if you tell her he is not her boyfriend. Yeah, that obsessed.

She insists on wearing make-up and perfume and doing her own hair.

Her sense of style is nothing short of umm...fabulous??
(might be a good word to use.)

She has more sass in her little toe than some people have in their whole body. She is a diva through and through. Every one says she is a spitting image of me. Me? A diva? I don't think so!! And she thinks she has to copy a lot of what I do and say.

She uses a lot of the same phrases I use. Sometimes she says them correctly, and then other times, not so much. (I say, "That scared the crap out of me.
Emma says, "That scared me out the crap.)

She has some play makeup that she puts on the same way I do: she dips her brush into her bowl and rubs it all over her face. She smiles when she puts on her blush and makes the same dumb face I do when I put on my lipstick.

Every morning when I am getting ready for the day, I go to the bathroom and weigh myself before I shower. The other day Emma goes to the bathroom, comes out and steps on the scale and says, "Seriously?! Urggg...." and then walks off being all annoyed at the number on the scale. Yes, this incident was hilarious, but it also got me thinking...

This little girl is three years old and is all ready this impressionable. How many times have I said or done something in front of her not really thinking she has any idea what I am doing because she is so young? Way too many times to count...

How many times have I complained about my hair or skin or my weight with Emma right there? Is she all ready starting to think she's not good enough? I want her to grow up with confidence in who she is. I want her to know that no matter what her size or how many imperfections she may have, she is awesome!

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I love that Emma wants to be just like her mommy. This makes me know that I need to be a better person. I need to be more positive and more giving. I need to be uplifting instead of judgmental. I need to remember that I have a little girl who is copying my every move some days. It's up to me to raise her to be strong, courageous, confident, smart, talented and to have a love for life, herself, her family and her religion. And a love for candy and cupcakes....but I think I got that one covered.

There were a few years where I didn't think I would get the opportunity to be a mom. After we were told we wouldn't get pregnant, I was devastated. All I ever wanted to was to be a mommy. To have that ripped from me was the worst news I have ever received. I've never been one to sit back and not go after what I wanted. I am too stubborn and don't like getting no for an answer or being told that I can't have something. It wasn't an easy time for us then. There was a lot of pain, physical, mental and emotional. A lot of money was spent on doctors and tests and procedures. Some days I didn't even want to get out of bed. But now, looking back, I am grateful for that challenge in our lives. I love being a mom. I love being the one who gets to kiss the ouchy all gone. I love being the one who can make all the hurt go away. I love being the one who gets to snuggle with them every night. I love being the one they get excited to see. I love all of it. I love the fighting, the tears, the tantrums, the silent treatments, the whining, the not listening. I didn't know if I would ever get to experience any of it. Without the bad stuff, you don't enjoy the good stuff as much.

Emma can imitate me all she wants. (except for the addiction to Diet Coke and Grey's Anatomy...she can stick with Kool Aid and iCarly a while longer.)