Inherited

My daughter, Sunshine, is not your typical kid. She's different.

Eccentric, even. In a good way. She doesn't try to be like anyone else. She's comfortable with her own unique herself.

Case in point: her new favorite spot to nap.

Occasionally, her quirks bug me - probably because they hit a little too close to home. At those times, I'd like to deny that she inherited any eccentric traits from me. Instead, I'd blame her dad or just about anyone else in the family.

After all, I'm perfectly normal.

But something happened today that proves our genetic link (you know, aside from the fact that I carried her in my body for nine months). Before I get to that, though, here's a refresher on Sunshine's individuality.

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A couple days ago, I gave her a slice of extra sharp cheddar. Like her mother, Sunshine thinks that the nastier a cheese is, the better it tastes. Anyway, she asked me why it's called "sharp" and I explained that it's aged longer than mild cheddar to give it more flavor.

Minutes later, I noticed Sunshine just staring at that same slice of cheese, lonely and untouched on her plate.

"Um...honey?" I ventured. "Why aren't you eating your cheese?"

"I'm letting it age," she answered and took a bite. "Now it tastes much better."

Indeed.

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Now for the proof that my daughter inherited at least some of her interesting-ness from me.

This morning, Sunshine was seated at our kitchen island, deep in concentration while she drew letters on her magnadoodle. Every now and then, she'd glance up and ask me how to spell a word. Finally, she set aside the toy and started eating breakfast.

I sat next to her and was halfway through my bowl of cereal before I looked at the magnadoodle. Here's what I saw:

(I love her smile.) In case you can't read a 4-year-old's fabulous handwriting, she wrote:

bowls
milk and
cereal
devotions
movie
party at (sideways)
school (sideways)

Yep, it's a list. A list of the things she plans to do today...with the items she's already completed carefully crossed off. As much as I hate to admit that she got some of her weirdness from me, it's a proud moment when I see that I've passed along my fascination with lists to the future generation.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this kid?!

Thank you, Lord, for my hilarious, one-of-a-kind, sweet girl.