ROAR! Differently Gifted

Among the annoying questions people with twins are asked, one good question I am often asked is, "How are they different?"  My answer is usually that they are more different than alike.  The best illustration of this is when I get on my hands and knees and say "Roar!"  Emily will giggle and run away.  Julia will roar right back and start running toward me.

I've read all about about not calling them "the twins" or "the girls" and being careful not to compare them.  I can see how one being especially athletic or artistic automatically makes the other twin the "un-athletic" or "un-artistic" one.  One thing I worry about is them growing up being constantly compared.  I don't want them to feel like their friends and family carved out who they are based on what they are or are not good at compared to their sister.  I had one twin boy in my class a couple years ago who literally was labeled "the good one" and his poor brother was "the bad one."  They both worked hard to live up to the expectations of their parents.  My student was expected to never mess up and his brother was expected to never do anything worth praise.  It was a hard life for both boys who didn't have much of a relationship with each other because of it all.

So yes, the girls are very different, but I never want to think of it in as "more" or "less."  I don't want to put Julia in a situation where she's scared because I think she's "more outgoing" or hold Emily back from something she'd enjoy because she's "more timid."  I know comparisons will naturally happen, but I want to focus on what makes them who they are instead of measuring them against each other.  I dread the day only one is invited to a birthday or to a dance.  The day may come when one is placed in reading support or one is invited to be in the gifted program at school.  At the same time, I know it comes with being different people.  Differently gifted people.

I'm excited to see what their gifts they'll bring to the world as they grow older.  It's hard not to make predictions now based on what we see, but just because Emily seems extra compassionate doesn't mean Julia won't be a wonderful doctor or nurse someday.  Just because Julia is a little ham who likes the spotlight doesn't mean Emily won't be a successful actress or musician.  I never want to place them in a box I helped create.  I won't let myself or anyone else limit on who they can and will become.  I want them to be able to say that their mom helped them find and use their gifts.  That she encouraged and believed in them.  Above all, I want them to be able to say that their mom loved them for who they were and was always, always proud of them.

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Here's a look at who they are right now:

Julia

• Loves to swing.
• Gives me things and says "thank you" (doot-do!)
• Likes wild upside down and climbing play with daddy.
• Says "Shhhhh!" with her little finger by her mouth.
• Loves circles and proudly proclaims, "ball!" every time she sees one.
• Loves toys that come apart or move like Barry's old transformer or his Darth Tater (A Star Wars Mr. Potato head).
• Is back to biting, but will stay sitting for a time out.
• Gives lots of kisses.
• Tries to blow her nose on anything that resembles a tissue.  
• Likes to blow on her food, even if it's cold.  
• Gets cranky FAST when she is hungry and flips a happy switch once she has some food in her belly.
• Wants to be held while I'm cooking because she has to know exactly what's going on.
• Sits with and dances with anyone but me at our music class.
• Loves our neighbor, Larry.  
• Getting good at helping clean up toys and putting laundry in the dryer.

Emily

• Loves to slide.
• Asks about Daddy and Larry every day.
• Thinks all guys we see on walks are called daddy.  
• Likes to balance "surf" on daddy's back while he does the wipe out song.
• LOVES to put things on her head!  
• New words are broccoli (brob-bee), hippo, and Amen!  
• Says "Shhhh!" when she thinks she is up before Julia or when she sees a picture of an animal sleeping.  One Sunday she said it when we walking into church late causing a few ladies to burst out laughing.  
• Loves to point out her grandpas in pictures.
• Pats the diaper pail and says, "tinky!"  She thinks it's name is stinky.  
• Calls squirrels are puppies and barks at them or wants to tickle them.
• Gets quiet when she's hungry and silly once she's had some food.  
• Loves to "feed" people and animals by holding up a stick, leaf, or toy and saying, "Nom, nom, nom!"
• Stands on the bottom shelf on the changing table so she can see Julia when she's getting changed.
• Wants to play tea party pretty much every day.  

Let us out!

She was stuck like this....

This girl LOVES to slide!

Climbing up all by herself.

I love to climb!

Being cute inside the hippo.

This girl LOVES to swing, especially on the big kid swings with her mama!

Babies are for kissing.

Peek a boo!

Slide!!

This is what Friday night at our house looks like.  

The dismount!

Genius!

Me, too!

Emily's hair is long enough now to get messy after nap!

Sissy love.

Here comes a kiss!

Julia loves pointing out body parts.

Learning to feed herself yogurt!

Getting better at it!

They love playing in these dried beans.

They are always up for feeding the babies.  On this day, they really wanted the bibs on the babies even though they don't like to wear their own bibs.

More yogurt!

Julia is getting pretty fast on this pony.  She even does wheelies!

Pop, pop, pop!

Knock it down!  

 Just like mama!
Julia tries to swaddle the babies herself and it's really cute to watch.  

We thought we were going on a walk!  Why are we stopping for pictures? And why do we have socks on our hands?!

They are only allowed to have their water on the rug because of this little sippy cup hoarder.  We'd never find them!

She knows she's not supposed to stand on the couch and is getting away with it!

Sweet hair!  Julia is saying and signing please for a cup Daddy is holding.

All these diapers were from Emily running to their room to grab a diaper, then meeting Julia in the hall to hand them off to her so she could then run it to the couch and spread it out.   Repeat.  It seemed like a pretty important job.

All done!  Get me down!!!

I'm messy and I know it!

Book club!

A tea party and a transformer.  Fun for all!