Whose Best & Whose Worst?!

Whenever you have a child, you hope they're going to have all the best parts of you and your spouse, yet not inherit your bad traits. Unfortunately, we can't choose which of our traits our children will inherit, so we just have to see what they got and make the best of it as they grow up! So we're watching Elias to try to see what he got from each of us and how he develops as he grows. In the past couple weeks, I've seen two things that he looks like he got from us, and it's yet to be determined whether they're good things or not.

First of all, his two front teeth are growing in, and there is definitely a gap between them! In case any of you don't know, I have a gap between my front teeth that braces didn't fix. (They would've if I had worn a retainer for the rest of my life - once I lost the retainer, the gap came back.) I don't mind it, I think it gives me something unique about my appearance, and my teeth are great besides that. No matter how much I enjoy my gap, though, we really had hoped that Elias wouldn't inherit it, just for the sake of orthodontist bills later in life! (Of course, even if he didn't have a gap, he still might've needed braces. But still!) We had hope because my sister had a gap that braces did fix, and of her two children, only one inherited the gap. So we knew it didn't HAVE to be passed down. However, we asked the pediatrician last time we were there, and she said that it's really too early to tell if he's going to have a gap in his baby teeth, but even if he does, that doesn't necessarily mean there will be one when his permanent teeth come in. Soooo, we still have 8 or so more years of suspense until we know for sure whether Elias will get the gap!

The other is a much better thing in my opinion. Last week we were at the Baby & Me group at the library, which involves songs, stories, and a craft. That week's craft was coloring, and Elias had never used crayons before. When he saw the crayons, he immediately picked one up with his left hand and held it properly as if he were going to color. (Justin is a leftie.) I tried switching it from his left to his right and he wouldn't take it. Then I even tried letting him keep the one in his left and yet also putting one in his right. Nope, nothing doing. This is obviously not conclusive evidence that Elias is going to be left-handed, but it could be a sign that way! I think it would be great if Elias was left-handed like his daddy, although I will do my best to make sure his handwriting is better!