Do not tell me I look like her (even if I do)

You know how when you're a pre-teen and teen and someone says something like "you look just like your mother" or "oh you're just like your mother" and you shudder a little, then smile uncomfortably and then tell them "thanks a lot" in a not-so-unsarcastic tone?

Yeah?

Well, I never did that.

No. I'm totally lying. I did. But mostly I did because I'm just a sarcastic person. I'm a ton of fun at parties. (See? Sarcasm!)

But as the years have rolled by (cue Amy Grant) I have come to appreciate the gifts my mother has given to me through genetics or parenthood or whatever force it is that makes kids turn out sort of like their parents.

If you look at photos of my mother, then me, then my oldest daughter when we are all about 3 or 4 years old we all look identical. (If you don't notice that we all have different eye colors.) We all have long blond hair. We are all the picture of health. We have fire in our eyes. And now that I'm older, I take it as a compliment when someone says I look like my mother.

My mother has also passed on a love of reading that has passed to my children. I do not remember ever seeing my mother not reading. Even as the television was on, my mom has always had a book in her lap. I used to ask her how she could watch TV and read at the same time. She's always told me she's multi-talented. I fear that my kids do not see me reading as often, but they still love to read.

My mom is quiet and so am I. But we're only quiet if we don't know you well. Once we're comfortable with you (and/or if you're family) then we may seem like different people. My mom has always told me "someone has to listen." We're good listeners, my mom and I.

I'm sure there are more ways we are similar. There are also ways I wish we were more similar. My mom seems to have more patience than I do. My mom rarely yells. My mom sees good things in people that I cannot.

I am lucky to have a mom who is also my friend.

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Are you similar to your mom? Write a blog post about the "things" your mom handed down to you. PBN and Johnson's are giving away a $250 gift card to two lucky bloggers. Johnson's second annual Celebrity Hand Me Down charity auction runs from 7 pm PT on Thursday May 7 through 7 pm PT on Thursday May 14, with proceeds benefiting their charitable giving site Baby Cause.