Tuesday, February 3, 2009

You Always Turn Into Your Parents


There is something about how your parents raised you that you can never escape. And it seems as though it is always those things you hated most as a child that become part of your own parenting M.O. One of the things I remember hating as a child was going to look at houses. (This was something I eventually grew to love, but as an 8 year old it was not my idea of a fun time). My parents used to buy trashed houses and then we would fix them up and rent them out. Every weekend we would go look for the next deal. The houses always smelled like cat and dog pee. Sometimes they were so bad Mom and Dad made us wait in the car.

I always assumed that I would one day subject my own children to that, but I certainly didn't think it would happen before they turned two.


This past weekend we went to look at a bunch of foreclosures that are going to be actioned off in two weeks. Nana, Opa, Odin, Natalia and I all stuffed ourselves in the car and went off in search of the next disgusting Graff-Baker investment.


I had a great time. We walked around 7 different houses. Okay, I walked around 7 different houses. Natalia walked around 6. I mean really, it wouldn't be a good find a fixer-upper weekend if there wasn't one house that requires children to stay in the car. This one wasn't that bad. I didn't feel like I needed a haz-mat suit and as long as I didn't touch anything I didn't run the risk of hitting a live wire.


Natalia had a good time too. She loved running around all of the new houses, hearing her voice echo in the bathrooms. She especially loved our time at Safeway.


I always wanted one of those red and yellow plastic cars. Never told Mom and Dad that I wanted one, and therefore never got one. Maybe I'll just have to get Natalia one. Isn't that just fulfilling the second rule of parenting? After you turn into your parents, you give your kid everything you never had and always wanted. Isn't that why I got her the wooden train set?

1 comment:

Aunt Izzy said...

how cute is that outfit? love it!