Two Peas

• Two peas in a pod - thats how most people described my children just after Tully was born. Despite Flynn being a boy and Tully a girl, they did look very much alike when she was a brand newbie, so 'two peas in a pod ' it was. However, now that she is almost ten months, its becoming apparent they are not as alike as some people first thought.

  
  

  For starters, Tully is growing into her own face - she looks much less like Flynn than she did when she was first born ( and, in fact, is starting to look very similar to myself at the same age ). They've also hit - or not hit - milestones differently. Flynn crawled at 9 months; Tully is 10 months this week and has developed a hybrid crawl/bum shuffle type thing, but can pull herself up and cruise along the furniture like a pro ( which Flynn couldnt do til just before he turned one ). Flynn got his firs tooth at 6 months old and had 8 by the time he turned one; Tully got her first teeth at 7 and a half months ( the bttom two popped up within a week of each other ) but has had nothing since.Tully hit the first words milestone before Flynn did ( though both are proving to be very vocal regardless of vocabulary! ).

  
  

  But the one difference that has hit me most this week is a difference in personality - Flynn, at 10 months old, was a very affectionate baby. He was always up for a cuddle, gave the biggest, sloppiest kisses and if he was even remotely tired he would burrow his head into my shoulder, stroke my hair and fall asleep. Tully? Well, she seems to be more of the Miss Independent type. She does give cuddles sporadically but her version of cuddling is to nuzzle her head into your neck - no arms involved - and her kisses, though as equally as sloppy as Flynns, are very few and far between. Dont get me wrong - Tully does show affection, by reaching out to be picked up, or cruising along the furniture till she's tapping happily on your legs, or by calling out and waving. Its just that, after having a super affectionate child like Flynn ( who, at 3 and a half, still randomly kisses me during the day or asks for a hug ' just because ' ), Tully seems obviously less so.

  
  

  Sometimes i do wish she'd just curl up on my lap and snuggle, or that she'd give me a big, drooly smooch hello when i pick her up from daycare, and i'm hoping she may grow into that behaviour a little more as she gets older.... but i may also have to acknowledge that the Miss Independent thing is just her way. In the meantime i'm going to relish the chance to rub my cheek on her fluffy head while she has her bottle, to give her cheeks a few tickly kisses everytime i pick her up, and to lie my head on her tummy after a nappy change and let her play with my hair, while i still can. Goodness knows time flies that quickly i dont know how much time i have left before either of my kids are too big for that sort of thing....

  
  

  Are your kids affectionate, or quietly standoff-ish? Do you have 'peas in a pod ' or very different little people? Do you sometimes wish they were different either way or lovingly accept them as they are?
  
  
  Linking up with IBOT over at Essentially Jess!