In Awe, once again

My girls...same parents...same sex....worlds apart. I was reminded

of this fact once, well twice, again today. Being that it was hot, I

knew I needed some diversion for them, so I let them play out

back with buckets of water and the hose. Need I say it was hilarious? Well, it was hilarious. Chloe who is a water bug was stepping in the buckets and splashing the water on herself to cool down, and Serena was bossing her around. Well, instructing her would be a better way of saying it, she was doing it kindly after all. They were both in their elements: Serena was the leader and Chloe was the free spirit.

Then, my Chloe's personality showed through once again. She hates diapers and strips them off whenever possible. I have been trying to potty train her but she'd never stay on the potty long enough to do it. SO let's just say, thank God for my carpet cleaner. I have been trying a trick I read in Parenting with Love and Logic. Where instead of hounding her, I simply have been telling her how when you go pee pee in the potty, your legs don't get wet, and I like going pee pee in the potty so I stay clean. I know she's been listening, because she'll repeat it back to me "stay clean?". Well tonight, me and my girls were watching Mary Poppins when Brian called me (he went to hang-out with an old high school buddy), so I went into the bathroom to be able to hear him over the movie and the kids. Chloe came to join me (surprise surprise right? Getting on the phone ALWAYS gets their attention). She sat on her potty, naked, because that's how she rolls. I didn't pay attention, I was talking. Well, I hang up with Brian, she stands up and the potty is full of pee!

I was screaming with glee! I made Serena come in and look (can you imagine how "thrilled" she was?) and I called Brian back to tell him the good news. Then we called my dad and she told him. I must have hugged her and given her five a 1000 times. It was awesome.

This led me to think of when Serena was this age and potty training. I would have to ask her, every 20 minutes to go. She would not use the potty chair. We had to put the special seat on the toilet and have a step stool in front for her to climb up on. She didn't start going on her own without me asking for a while.

My girls have such different strengths, and I love that God has blessed me with being able to experience such opposite personalities. Serena is book smart, she learns fast, she talks all the time, she understands and picks up emotion in people very well. She pays attention to people. She is a compliant child, and thus loves to make people happy. I am thankful God broke me in with an easy child.

Then popped out Chloe, different from birth. If she could have come out running, she would have. She is mechanical in nature, she learns new physical skills much quicker, and with more ease than Serena does. She does not talk nearly as much, nor does she pay attention to emotions in people as much as her sister did at this age. Serena was prone to less fits of rage because she would talk about it more. She loves face time with people. Chloe is fine being on her own to play or with friends. She does not get easily overwhelmed when situations vary from her norm. When she gets mad, she has a fit, a big one. She is strong willed to the bone.

I love them both, and I love thier personalities equally for different reasons. I love that they will be forced to deal with thier polar opposite as they grow. I know this will grow and strengthen both of thier characters, and they will learn valuable people skills because of it.