A healthy amount of narcissism

Babies love mirrors.  And the makers of toys realize that.  Which is why there are so many products out there for babies to glimpse their cute images: rattles, tummy time mats, mobiles.  It is part of the way that their development is bolstered.  As a baby, Liam was obsessed with our chrome trashcan because he could see his face.  As a germaphobe I had to let go of the fact that my baby was going to occasionally lick the trashcan.

What I didn't realize is that Liam's love of mirrors would extend well into his toddlerhood. In his younger toddler class he earned the name "The Little Prince." The two teachers fawned over him and let him get away with A LOT. They would tell me that they used to set his naptime cot in front of the classroom mirror (the kind that they use in dance classes) because he was comforted by his image and would talk himself to sleep. And for some time now, when we give him his nightly bath, he uses the chrome bathtub fixtures to check himself out. He has even been known to kiss his image in the drain.

Every day when we pick him up from school, we get a detailed report showing us what he ate, when he napped, when he had a diaper change, etc.  There is also a comment section which lets a parent know what the child's favorite activity of the day was.  I have taken to saving a couple of these recent reports that I felt were "cute."  However, I have started to notice a pattern.

"Liam had fun running around looking at himself in our room."

And on another day, "Liam was looking at himself in the mirror and

running away from himself laughing!! It was so cute!!

We have always thought these acts were adorable. We have even taken to consoling him by taking him to one of the mirrors in the house and letting him get a good look at himself.  But at what point do you start to wonder if your son will be the kind of man who will check his image out in a girl's sunglasses during a date. I can imagine him fixing his hair in a nonchalant way while his date discusses the merits of the Geneva convention. Surely the love of his reflection is something that will wane in the years to come.