Mirror images

I've heard the saying "Our children are mirror images of us" but I've never fully understood the weight of that saying. I've always thought of it on a superficial level - as in, 'Yor daughter has your eyes' or 'wow, she looks just like your husband'. However, as Gracie matures I'm beginning to fully comprehend every implication that follows this wise counsel. The things we say and do mold our children into tiny little replicas of ourselves! I am happy to pass down my strengths to Gracie but the thought of her developing my flaws frightens me! She is now at the age where everything that her sponge brain absorbs transfers over in her behavior - the good and the bad! Here are two examples of things I wish she hadn't learned...
A few weeks ago Gracie was over at her Grandma Francis' house and while she was playing she said, "Holyyyy... CRAP!" Some of you might be thinking, 'Well, at least it wasn't holy s**t!. Yes, this is true, but seeing a tiny little person - an innocent soul - say something like that just makes my skin crawl and it saddens me even more that it was my own kid that said it! By the way, she picked that one up from Mark, however, she picked this next one up from me...
A few days ago she tried calling Parker over to her. After many attempts at getting him to come she decided to take matters into her own hands and she grabbed him by the collar as she said, "I said come here, you STUPID DOG!" Not only were her words a wake up call to me but the manner in which she said those words were even more so -
she was so mean and she even gave Parker the stinkeye! Time to seriously make a conscious effort at choosing our words carefully!
On a happier note - Gracie is a WONDERFUL little girl and we see so much good in her!
Here are two things she says that melt my heart...
Every night before bed she kisses my nose and says, "good night sweetheart!" I love how she says sweetheart - so loving when she does it.
Also, lately she's been saying prayers all on her own and everytime she says one she always says, 'herveny fodder, think you for jesus... and for presents. amen.'
All in all, I LOVE what I see in my little "mirror" and I'm grateful to be a mommy - so many life lessons are taught through this wonderful calling!

Here's a recent pic of my little mirror image...