Two Peas in a Pod

Lately, I've been intrigued by the differences in Sophia and Olivia's personalities. I realize their personalities are far from fully developed, and a lot can and probably will change, but for right now it's fun to see how delightfully different they are. Sophia is quite independent and exceptionally determined. Sometimes I find myself wrestling with her to get her dressed or into her car seat, and I'm amazed at how driven and strong she is. Ever since she was itty-bitty, she's been very physical. She loves to play rough, run around, and take on new physical challenges. She often half skips and half runs where ever she's going. At the same time, she can be very tender and thoughtful. She will often try to comfort her sister by rubbing her head and stroking her arm. Sophia will often find Olivia's bunny and give it to her when she's upset. She gives kisses often and can be very cuddly, but only if she's in the mood. If there's a ball in the area, she'll find it. In addition to her stuffed sheep, which she calls "Baba", she loves to sleep with her shoes. Her favorites right now are her snow boots and her tennis shoes. She has about 15 words that she can speak and 15 more that she can sign. People say that she seems quiet, yet she's not hesitant to interact with people she's never met. She often cracks us up by contorting her face and making funny noises. Olivia loves anything sparkly and pretty, especially clothes. She loves to dance,sing and change her clothes. She tells me daily that she likes stars and her favorites colors are purple, pink and blue. It seems to me that she has a good vocabulary for someone her age. She loves to talk and play with kids, but is quite selective about when she'll speak to adults. However, at home she never struggles to find something to talk about. She's quite introspective. She often identifies her own emotions often and is concerned about how others feel. She loves to play with her sister, and frequently asks me if I can get Sophia to play with her (Sophia loves to play with her, too, but she doesn't always want to do what Olivia has on the agenda). She is quite protective of her Sophia and will regularly tell me what she thinks Sophia needs. Olivia loves to paint and color. One of her favorite books right now is a children's book with Vincent Van Gogh paintings, and she says she likes Starry Night the best. Her imagination is quite vivid. She likes to pretend that she another person, Kylie, her cousin, is an all-time favorite. Pretending she's an animal, like a baby goose or a flying dolphin, is also a favorite pastime. As I'm writing this I'm realizing how many similarities the girls share. Maybe my next entry will be about how I've been noticing how alike Sophia and Olivia are.