A Birthday Party

Gerritt, Sophia & I went to friend's birthday party today (to avoid unnecessary stress, Jacob stayed at home with babushka). The differences between my two older children's personalities became immediately apparent.
Soon after arrival to an unfamiliar to both of them place, Sophia left us to explore the apartment all on her own while Gerritt stayed close to me. I could hear Sophia playing with the new toys she found & talking to new people she met. Gerritt sat behind me on a chair for quite some time & then moved onto my lap while trying to convince me to take him to the playroom ("I want you to come with me, Mommy") as he didn't feel comfortable going there by himself.

When the time came to serve the cake, Sophia quickly climbed onto the chair next to the birthday boy Jude & even attempted to take the first slice of cake being served. In contrast, Gerritt stood next to the table longingly looking at the cake & patiently awaiting his turn.

After the cake Jude opened a few presents & then invited everyone to jump on the trampoline. Only one child was allowed to jump on it at one time, so kids had to take turns. When another child bypassed Sophia even though it was her turn, she jumped up right next to the intruder, "My turn!" When the same thing happened to Gerritt, he ran straight into my arms while trying hard not to cry. I gently explained to him that crying was not going to fix anything & he needed to go back to the trampoline & insist on his turn. Thankfully, it worked, & a few minutes later Gerritt was jumping & smiling happily.

I saw Sophia enjoying herself while jumping on the couch (until I told her to get off) & even sitting on someone's lap. Gerritt eventually left my side to play by himself, but he made frequent contact with me.
As much as I would like to believe we raised Gerritt & Sophia the same way, there are definitely a few differences. Gerritt reminds me so much of myself in childhood - sensitive & cautious. It probably didn't help that he was the firstborn of an overly protective mother like me. Sophia's personality is similar to my husband's - happy-go-lucky, rambunctious & easygoing. Gerritt was 19 months old when she was born & he was still very attached to me. As a result, Sophia learned to be independent quickly. There is always a debate going on about nature vs. nurture. The beauty of being a parent is that I have a privilege to observe just how they will both play out as time goes by. :-)