Tucking Grayson into bed the other night - "Mom, will you lay down with me for a few minutes?". Who can resist that? I crawled into bed with the little guy, and promptly fell asleep. I didn't sleep for long, maybe five minutes, but when I woke up, I was lying on my side looking at him in profile. It took my breath away how much he looked like Daniel in that moment.
I've had people tell me over the years how much he looks like Daniel and I've been able to see it most of the time, but he still looks just like Grayson to me. Occasionally I see a flash, so very clear, of Daniel when he was young, and it just jumps out at me. His appearance isn't the most amazing part though. Its his behavior. He was only 5 when Daniel passed away, so there wasn't a lot of time for him to pick up Daniel's habits.....however, he is his father's son in so many ways it makes me laugh out loud.
My little guy is always right, knows everything about everything, and will argue a point until all other parties give up. He walks like him, has facial expressions like him, sticks his tongue out when he's concentrating like him, etc. In other ways he doesn't mirror his father, but the list is pretty short. He is Grayson, his own person with unique qualities, but he is definitely Grayson Dippel. A chip off the block, for sure!
Happy Tuesday! - Michelle D.
HE sure is...Fred says that some of his expressions and habits remind him of Daniel so much. He says Grayson is a calmer version of Daniel but has the same big heart as his dad and the same hard head! I reminded Fred that all DIPPELS have hard heads...they got it from him.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was three when her dad died, but she never knew him b/c he was in a nursing home shortly after she turned two and was diagnosed with dementia a year earlier. Still, she looks like him and has his same "glass half-empty" worldview. It amazes me to see the bits and pieces that emerge from her that are totally him - a him she has no knowledge of.
ReplyDeletePeople say she looks like me b/c she has my mannerisms, but she is such a combo of her dad and step-dad that I often wonder where I am in the mix at all.
My oldest son isn't my husband's biological son. Jeff raised him from 6 years old until last year (he's 28). It is amazing how much like him that kid is! It does indeed take my breath away sometimes. Nature is strong, but I would wager that Nurture is strong too!
ReplyDeleteGreat post - thanks.
As my due date moves closer, I have been wondering how much or how little this baby will be like his Dad was...
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. It was very moving.
My oldest was 2 when his dad died in a skiing accident and the yougest was 6 months. Both boys had no time to know him. I was with him for 15 years. They have so many similar characteristics in character and particularly mannerisms that it is truly a case of nature not nuture. I think I really have the genetic proof, they are just so incredibly like him it is untrue!!
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