Pregnancy for me was a time of great wondering—me being 20, single and in college when I learned I was going to be a mother, there were a lot of unknowns. I wondered how I would possibly afford to give a child everything it needed and deserved, if I could retain my sense of self after becoming a mom, if I’d ever feel young again.

The one thing I never had to wonder was whether I could love the life I was carrying enough.

I did spend a lot of time however wondering in what ways my daughter would be like, or unlike me. I knew I couldn’t pick the genetic traits she’d inherit, but there were still things I hoped for.

All I really wanted her to get from me was my dark eyes, and maybe my love for reading. I hoped she got her dad’s perseverance and sense of humor.

I wanted her to inherit my mother’s endless patience and incredible intelligence. And from my dad, I wished fervently that Skye would inherit what I did not—his musical talent.

I grew up in a world filled with melodies and late night jam sessions. The sound of an acoustic guitar will forever bring me back to my dad playing and singing songs in the kitchen, while my brothers and I danced blissfully.

At school, I bragged about my dad the rockstar. He’s completely self-taught, and I’m fairly certain he can play any instrument with strings, and then some.

Unfortunately, my dad’s talented musical gene skipped right over my equally tone-deaf brothers and myself. The three of us did learn to play at least one instrument, but none of us continued for more than a couple years. We all enjoy singing, but none of us should do it in front of a crowd. Although I will say that I’ve never been booed out of my shower, so that’s something.

Although the three of us weren’t blessed with our dad’s musical talent, we all have a deep love for music that began with the strings of his guitar. Appreciation for music is imbedded in my genes, even if a talent for creating it is not.

Skye did indeed get my eyes and love for books, and her dad’s perseverance shows itself daily. She is too smart for her own good, and mine. While it’s too early to really tell if she inherited my dad’s talent, it’s been clear since infancy that she was born loving all things musical.

She has always gravitated towards music being played; from the moment she could crawl she was never far from my portable speakers at home or the radio at daycare. Now she belts out every song she learns, usually accompanied by shaking hips and elaborate arm movements.

She knows the lyrics to any song she hears more than twice and will remember them for months afterward; and while I find it impressive, it sometimes makes listening to the radio a tad tricky.

It might be that it’s just a love for music rooted deep in her genes; but I can’t help but allow myself the wishful thinking that maybe, just maybe, Skye also inherited her grandpa’s raw talent.

Only time will tell.

***

About the Author

Morgan Armstad

Morgan Armstad is a part-time writer and waitress, as well as a full-time mom to her incredible daughter Skye. She loves to read, dance and eat Milano cookies. She graduated spring 2016 from the University of Montana in Missoula with a degree in journalism with a history minor. Morgan is currently working and writing at Mamalode magazine in Missoula and has written for the website VProud.