Night and Day

Exhibit A

When I found out I was having a second girl, I expected her to be a clone of my first.  

I expected them to look alike, have the same personalities and temperaments, be the same size, be motivated by the same things, have the same interests... you get the idea.  

They would have to be...both girls, raised by the same parents, living in the same home, wearing the same clothes, being exposed to the same experiences, etc, etc, etc.  

I had no idea however, how different they could and would be.  

Please note Exhibit A above.  

Brooklyn- pink bowl (always pink) all popcorn eaten, saving all M&Ms.  

Ellie- green bowl (never pink) all M&Ms eaten, popcorn untouched (and will remain that way). 

Leighton- still a little too young for us to figure her out...yellow bowl (the only color she knows) eating a perfect mix of popcorn and M&Ms.

Every single day I am reminded of their individuality and uniqueness.  They are night and day.  

Ellie could live on Danimals yogurt drinks, fruit snacks, and mini ritz bits with cheese in the middle.  

Brooklyn would starve to death if that was all she was offered.  

Ellie has 4-5 wardrobe changes a day.  

Brooklyn would wear her clothes all day and sleep in them all night if we let her.  

Ellie always remembers to flush the toilet.  

Brooklyn seldom flushes after her business.  

Ellie has little desire to draw, color, or write.  

Brooklyn could sit and color for hours.  

If Ellie were on So You Think You Can Dance, she would dance lyrical jazz.  

Brooklyn would dance the Viennese Waltz.  

Ellie is a neat eater and rarely uses a napkin.

Brooklyn covers the table, chair, and floor with crumbs and completely uses up her napkin at each meal.

Ellie is a rule breaker.  

Brooklyn is a rule follower.  

Ellie loves to cuddle.

Brooklyn needs her space.

Ellie loves blue.

Brooklyn loves pink. 

So where does this leave me as the mother of these two polar opposites?  It leaves me loving them both equally, and differently.  It leaves me praying a lot for wisdom to know how to handle their unique little hearts and minds.  It leaves me daily relying on their Maker who knows them even better than the mommy who has seem them every day of their life.