The thing about babies and little kids — or maybe it’s just Noah — is that some things seem so innate that the “nature” side of the “nature vs nurture” debate can start looking eerily obvious.

For example, especially around the eyes and nose, Noah looks just like me. And he’s every bit as conversational as I am. He’s a better dancer, but we know the donor was musical, and although Jill is also a great dancer, she doesn’t dance much around the house.
Now that Noah has started expressing himself with sentences and concepts that he generates, Jill’s influence is shining through loud and clear.

For example: On Saturday, as we were driving into our neighborhood, we saw the mail delivery truck. It was pausing at every mailbox, as they do, instead of driving or stopping like a regular car. Noah announced from the backseat, “He needs to watch where he’s going!”

Sunday, we drove separately to church. (Jill & Noah went to Sunday school; I skipped everything but the annual block party after services. Sometimes you just need alone time.) When he and I got into my car to come home, Noah announced, “You need to clean up your car, Mommy!”

I actually asked him if This Mommy taught him how to say that. That question, unfortunately, was just a little too subtle. And coming from a boy who has recently begun hurling objects to register his extreme displeasure, somewhat ironic. But that’s being two, nature, but not in the context of this discussion.

While I don’t think this is nature or nurture either, it is hilarious. Jill has taught Noah a knock-knock joke. We are 99% sure he doesn’t actually get it, but he laughs uproariously while they tell it together. When they told it to me over dinner last night, I fell in love with both of them even more than I had been. Which I did not know was possible.

And speaking of nature — and possibly a little nurture — you know you’re pregnant when bacon cheeseburger hamburger helper sounds like a good idea. (Need I even add that it no longer sounds like a good idea?)

In other news, some of the really fun pregnancy symptoms kicked in this weekend, like round ligament pain and waking up 2-3x/night to pee.

Fruit & Veg Count, 5/4: 1 cup mixed roasted veggies (carrots, asparagus, broccoli), 1/3 cup collard greens, 1/3 cup sweet corn, 1 cup fresh strawberries.