My Peeps

Sometimes I look at my little girls, at the people they are becoming, and I am awed. I can't believe that I helped to create (not just bring in to the world, but to actually MAKE) these two perfect little individuals.

And I say "individuals" quite deliberately. Because even though I have two children of the same gender, from the same parents, they are quite different. Apparently the recipe is never quite the same.

When AK was born, the Hoos and I were quite surprised that she was a girl, mostly because she had dark hair. Silly, I know. But we knew what little girls that we made looked like - and they had white blond hair and lots of rolls. Not almost black hair and skinny arms and a tush the size of two thumbs!

And the surprises just keep on coming. Both of my girls are pretty outgoing, but AK is more adventurous. They both like being the center of attention, but AK is more likely to be selective in identifying the source of the attention. They both are/were good eaters as infants, but LP used to store food up in her cheeks for hours and slowly meter it out; AK scarfs down food as quickly as she can shovel it in.

Since they are both so young (three and one respectively, natch) I can't say I have their personalities all figured out. But I do continue to be amazed that not only are they different from one another but they are not even necessarily like me or the Hoos. I actively look for clues, asking my parents if I talked incessantly like LP (I did) or looking at baby pictures of the Hoos and seeing both LP's rolls (yes, really! for those of you that know the Hoos) and AK's curls.

I know that as a parent I will never have my children all figured out, but I do think I am starting to get a better handle on my parents. To think that they looked at me with stars in their eyes the way I look at my angels?! And that on some days they were also tired and struggling to not beat me and my brother down?! As Mr. Slinger, in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse would say: Wow. Just wow.

Daddy's Girl

LP doesn't look anything like the Hoos. She looks a bit more like me, but regardless, she is 100% my side of the family. At least so far. She has strawberry blond hair and blue eyes and a round face and pale skin. Of course, she is simply gorgeous.

However, looks are only part of the equation. LP's personality is much more in line with the Hoos. First, they are both Geminis. I don't really know too much about astrology, but I do know that as the "sign of the Twins" people in this category tend to have split personalities. I leave this up to your interpretation. LP is a little enigma in that she will be standing up in her crib in the morning, waiting to be taken out, groaning "Night, night!" and asking to go back to bed. Doesn't make much sense to me, if I didn't want to get up I would still have the blanket over my head, so I am attributing this to her Gemini nature.

Also, she loves being outside and playing in the dirt. I like being outside, but I am more of a black thumb. The Hoos will read gardening magazines, visit multiple garden centers, and put thought into the placement of particular plants in our yard. LP could stand outside for hours just flinging dirt all over the place and pulling up crocuses. She says "crocus!" and can also name several of the birds that visit our feeder by sight ("Cardinal! Chi-dee [chickadee]! Timice [Titmouse]!").

Last night after her bath she was excited to see the Hoos working at his fly-tying desk. In order for her to allow me to get her dressed I had to promise that she could help him when we were done. The Hoos was so thrilled that she kept yelling "More flies! More flies!" that she ended up pushing off her bedtime by 10 minutes.

I don't think there can be anything more satisfying than watching my two favorite people enjoy each other's company. Today I am content.