Personality Pop!
In the womb, Baby A (Brooks) moved more frequently than did Baby B (Bella). But Bella was much more forceful when she did make her moves. As babies, I used to describe the twins as “sweet” & “spicy.” Baby Brooks was generally the more laid back one. In Contrast, Bella’s feisty spirit demanded a lot of adaptations and special attention. The twins started really emerging as individuals by 15 months. Although it has been obvious to me that they have very distinct personalities, they are now starting to really burst. I feel like I’m finally being properly introduced to my babies and who they really are.
Brooks has his “rough & tumble” little boy tendencies, but having both a big & little sister, is learning the fine art of “gentle touch.” His favorite toy is a ball, any kind of ball. He throws with precision, tries to catch, kicks and punts, spikes, hits with clubs, and even bounces balls off his head, everything short of juggling. I’ve even heard him say “ball” in his sleep. I definitely foresee my future self as a soccer mom. He loves to pretend to read, and does so with great inflection of voice! When given the chance to pick out a nighttime story, he goes to the shelf, and out of over the 20+ books on the one shelf he can reach, he’ll inevitably return with “Goodnight Moon.” If he wakes up at night, he comes and lays on me, however he can get comfortable, even if it means laying on my feet. Brooksie loves to eat! When hungry, he’ll yell “mam, mam, mam, mam!” until he gets his food. He hates getting his diaper changed and pitches a fit when being strapped in the car seat. But over-all he’s a very loving little guy and I know he’ll grow up to be a sensitive, chivalrous gentleman.
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Bella is kind little girl who communicates extremely well, using both her wide vocabulary and signs. She wishes she could speak in full sentences and gets frustrated when she feels she’s not being understood. She’s fascinated by things that fasten, zip or snap. She loves trying to figure things out. I definitely foresee my future self doing puzzles and building extensively with Legos. To keep her entertained, I put safe “non-toys” inside a hand bag or zipper purse and let her open it and go through and pull out each item. During her play sessions, she’ll occasionally stop and simply come to me, as if she’s checking on me to make sure I’m okay. She isn’t overly clingy but loves to ride the “Mommy train” (when I baby-wear her on my back). She often falls asleep back there while I’m shopping or cleaning or dancing. She also sings to herself and often repeats words in the same key in which they are spoken. I think she’ll be into music. Bella asks for food by saying “Mey? Mey?” She has a nickname for her brother: “Bae.” When BellaBoola gets upset about something, she’s usually easy to calm and I believe she’ll grow up to be a passionate and compassionate person.
The best thing about seeing these two grow into themselves is watching them interact with each other. Up until recently, their play was mostly parallel. Lately, however, they’ve been playing, more and more with each other. They usually play quite well, taking turns and sharing, to some degree. They also learn from each other. I’ve noticed that when one learns a new word, the other is usually saying it also by the following day or two. But this new element of interaction means more supervision and hyper-vigilance on my part. For example, today they tried to play ring-around-the-rosie, but ended up hugging instead of holding hands. It would have been the cutest thing ever, except they lost their balance and they both tumbled onto the kitchen floor. Bella, who had taken the brunt of the fall was in tears while Brooks, who’d been cushioned by his sister was still laughing hysterically.
In the beginning, I have to admit, having twins intimidated me greatly. Just having one child was a daunting enough challenge. As a person who struggles with anxiety and bipolar disorder, I wondered, am I equipped to handle this? The answer to that is….
…no way could I handle this alone. I’m a strong person, maybe even super, but the power I use to raise my children does not come from within, it comes from above. It is supernatural. I know God designated me with this job so that He would be glorified! And every day as I see my babies learning more and more, I feel less overwhelmed and more overwhelmingly blessed.
(written Nov 5-9, 2015, Twins 16 months)
Double Talk Quote: “Brooks wants to (spells) G-o O-u-t-s-i-d-e” – Grandma. “Oh, he wants to go outside” – Amor states aloud.
Bible Verse: “Let brotherly love continue.” Hebrews 13:1
Word that has Lost its meaning: no
Relatable Lyrics: “Loyalty” by The Watchkins
“We are birds of a feather, we are always together… we’re friends and amigos, I go where he goes, we travel the trail side-by-side…
…my partner, my buddy, my friend…together we’re two of a kind
Loyalty, It’s being a friend, true to the end, sticking by each other through think & thin”
SuperMom Mentality 
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