The day I realized I was turning into my parents happened Tuesday last week.

Facebook requested a photo tag of my face. With my mother’s name in block letters it read: “is this you?”

I freaked out.

Am I really turning into my mom already?

I started thinking about her mannerisms and personality. There are very obvious attributes that I’ve always had.

I have her laugh. I have her fabulous use of hand motions when I talk. I have her sass.

As I looked deeper into things, I realized I started doing things more like her unconsciously.

We make the same face when we react to something scary. We both sit the same. And we both at times dress similarly (thank goodness you have good taste Mama).

It made me realize that the defining qualities in our parents’ personalities truly resonate with us. And when we are older, at one point in our life, we will say or do something that will remind us exactly when our mom or dad did that.

It’s uncanny.

I’ve always been a Daddy’s girl. Growing up, we were joined at the hip.

I remember being eight years old and waking up early to get ready with him before he went to work. When he’d leave I would sit on the top of the staircase, sad. After school, I would run back home to meet him for dinner and tell him all about my day. And this routine continued until my teens.

I’ve always been my father’s daughter. I’ve inherited his ambition, dedication and temper. We are so like-minded at times to the point that it’s difficult if we disagree because we are both stubborn. But we also understand each other the most because we are alike.

That’s why it’s funny to me that I’ve developed qualities like my mother. Even though my personality is like my dad, she’s my best friend. We always make each other laugh and do everything together when I’m back home.

The moment that I realized I started picking up my mother’s mannerisms is when I accepted the fact that I’m truly a mix of both parents.

You normally are associated with one. Either your father or mother has been your childhood idol, the one you run to when you were hurt, the one that always cuddles you when your sad, the one that tucked you into bed.

But in reality, as you grow up and figure out yourself as an individual, both qualities of your parents shape you to be who you are.

It’s something to be proud of. Love your parents, and appreciate that all the quirky things that they do, because that’s what makes you, you.