All that we owe our parents we repay through our children.

Ok I just spoke about how I am becoming my mother, now let's flip the coin and discuss how I am raising mini me one and two. My kids are so much like me it is scary. I remember my mother always telling me that the reason my dad and I were like rams butting heads is because we were so much alike. At the time, of course I was just leaving the scene of losing an argument with him and I would think, are you crazy? I am NOTHING like him! Now that I am older, and of course wiser (yeah right), I am realizing that I am a lot like both of my parents, but my stubborn attitude surely comes from the good ol' Kent Broadbent himself. You bring up my dad's attitude or mention the term stubborn and Kent in the same sentence at any family gathering and everyone just nods their heads in agreement and then there is usually a story that follows about how my dad would do this when faced with adversity, or how this fight came to be between them. That's one of the reason Broadbent gatherings are so fun. Well now it is my turn to raise a child of my likeness and it is tough. Havely is so damn determined and strong willed, I really have to learn to hold back sometimes because I find myself wanting to knock her into the middle of next week. She is now 5 and pushes the mom buttons on a daily basis. When I ask her to do things she always has some smart remark that usually follows. I applaud her wit and quick thinking however if she catches me on a bad day it might lead to her demise. I also watch my sons tenacity and unyeilding behavior, and with this one, I may have a permanent mark left in my chops from biting my lip so much. Lately though I have been given a slight bit of comic relief to this whole adventure. I am not the only one with kids anymore, and to my great joy I am watching Angela's kids personalities develop. They are only six months old, but the professional instigator in the Broadbent bunch now has a clone coming along. Jackson loves to spur his sister until he gets a reaction from her. The term the apple doesn't fall far from the tree used to makes me fear what was coming my way, but now it puts a small grin, like a grinch on my face when I know what is coming Angela's way. Remember all the times that you used to do ANYTHING to get a rise out of me Ang? Well be ready to eat a big fat plate of humble pie, your son is going to give little Angela a run for her money. I feel really bad for Genevieve, but thankfully she has Aunt Mac to help her through how to overcome the prodder that is her brother. I know I have a trying road ahead of me raising little Mackenzie and Kent, however I will love the front row seat that I have to watching the replicate of miss Angela the Instigator, yes peeps that was her superhero name... 08.14.11