Lila

Well, it seems I don't mention Lila all that often. She's now 13-months-old and just as sweet as can be. She's not walking yet - but, she's a climber and speed crawler. She took one step last week but has shown no interest in making further progress. I guess that's fine with me. It means she's a little bit easier to keep track of...for a little while.

Sometimes, after a hard day with Olivia, I'll get down on myself. All parents wonder where they are going wrong when their child acts out, throws a tantrum, etc. Especially when those events are frequent. However, recently, I really started to notice that Lila is a cuddler. She loves to be held and shrieks with joy when she sees Matt or I put on the Ergo carrier. Just yesterday, after her nap when Olivia was still sleeping, Lila rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped her small arms around me as far as she could. She rested there for quite some time. Lila is like that frequently. Olivia was never like that. While she was a calm baby, good sleeper, and colic-free, she has never been one who liked to be held and smothered with kisses for too long. Now, she's known to even wipe away kisses!

Lila, alone, is teaching me so much. She's taught me to see that Olivia's defiant, strong-willed, independent personality isn't just a nurture thing. She was, simply, born that way. And, while I'm sure nurture plays a part in how independent and strong-willed a child can be, I'm beginning to see that Matt and I play less of a nurture part of it than I thought.

I'm more and more able to see the differences in personalities. At 13-months, Olivia was walking and talking. I think she had 10-15 words at 13-months. Lila has about four words. Lila is a little more laid back and pensive. If she likes someone, she'll reach out to be picked up and held. Olivia wasn't shy, and went to most anyone, but she wasn't interested in being held if she could be on the ground playing. Olivia appears to be becoming a true leader and first-born. She grabs her friend's hands, guides them around the playroom, tells them what to do, what to eat, where to sit, where to push the stroller, what to play with and doesn't accept "no" for an answer. She's the first one to run to a hurt child to tell him/her, "It's okay. You'll be alright. I will help you."

I remember Olivia being very serious at Lila's age. Lila is all smiles, all the time. Olivia still frowns more than she smiles. She takes life very seriously. Lila, it appears (time will really tell), will be just happy to go with the flow. A "whatever" type personality.

I'm learning so much from these two girls! They are such a joy to have. While I don't look forward to the tantrums, I do look forward to each new day with them. It's so exciting to watch them grow. There have been many times when they just bring tears of joy to my eyes.