Siblings and Individuals

I haven't had a chance to blog in a very long time.  Being a mother some things get pushed to the side, but today it was my children that inspired me to return to the blog.  Having a sibling I understand that two people born of the same parents can have totally different interests and personalities.  My sister and I are 15 months apart and my husband and his brother are 14 months apart so you'd think that being that close in age would almost be akin to being twins, who often have a lot of the same interests.  However, that couldn't be farther from the truth for either of us.  While we have a lot in common with our siblings as adults, as children we both had totally different interests and groups of friends.  As my children are getting older it is becoming very apparent that they have two totally different personalities and passions too.

From the time Peyton could sit up he was all about the throw.  He could throw a ball across the room by a year.  He walked before a year, did a forward roll and jumped way before he should've been able to developmentally but has never shown much interest in the fine motor.  There is very little artwork from him before 2 years old.  He just didn't want to sit still long enough to color.  Puzzles were a mystery to him until he was almost 3 years old, he just didn't get the what he was supposed to do.  He loves baseball, football, soccer, dancing, gymnastics, riding his bike, and hiking, but still isn't much of a climber on the playground, needing help unless the route is really obvious.

Then there is Sierra.  At 14 months she isn't walking except a couple of steps, but loves to engage in activities standing up that take concentration and time.  So no walking, but climbing, my God can that child climb.  She's a little monkey.  She loves to be up high.  About a month ago I put a crayon in her hand for the first time and she has been obsessed with coloring ever since.  And blocks, puzzles, and stacking tasks are some of her favorite things and things that Peyton just didn't catch on to until much later.  And music...wow, does she love music, dancing to it, making it, and listening to it.

Emotionally they are seeming to be quite different as well.  Peyton was never a cuddler really and he could never self sooth and never attached to a lovey.  He woke 3+ times a night for almost 2 years to nurse for comfort.  Sierra loves to cuddle, has sucked her fingers from practically birth to self sooth and has a bear that she loves to cuddle with in bed.  She sleeps most nights, except when teething or sick, until 4 or 5 in the morning before waking up to be nursed back to sleep.  Sierra seems to be more sensitive to the emotions of those around her too and she gets very upset if you tell her no.

It'll be very interesting to see as they get older what they gravitate towards and how different they are.  I hope we give them good values, ample opportunities to explore and the confidence to pursue their dreams so that they can be happy, healthy adults.  For right now I'm just enjoying observing them every day.