Madison and Drew

Madison, what a girl she is. I don't think you could possibly cram any more princessy, pink, girlie-ness into one tiny body. This girl is not happy unless she is wearing a princess dress, princess shoes and a tiara of some sort. She carries one of her various wands with her throughout the house about 90% of every day. As soon as we get in the house from an outting, she begins removing every article of clothing only to be replaced with a dress and jewels of some sort. Similarly, as soon as we venture down the stairs in the morning she does the same thing. She loves sleeping beauty and recently has developed a new fascination with barbie princess stories. I can totally see her as a ballerina in a year or so, she loves anything feminine.

Drew on the other hand, is all boy. Apart from trying on tiaras or playing with Madison's beauty salon items, he is all boy. He is fascinated by balls. At night, he doesn't go to sleep in his crib with a stuffed animal, he has in arm a small football or a basketball, or even a full sized basketball! He sleeps with a ball every night! How funny is that? Tucked under his little arm is usually a football, night or day. Football and basketball, but baseball will do. He gets excited to see them on his jammies, or clothing. When he hears football on tv, he whips around and declares in a loud, deep, tot-voice "BA BALLLL!" He throws his hands up and yells, "TOUCH DOWWWNN!" He received a little tikes basketball goal for Christmas and every day he drags it into the living room while insisting, "Hoops, hoops" so he can play a little b-ball. He's got an arm too, let me tell ya. He isn't even 2 yet, but he can sink every basket he throws wherever he may be in proximity to the net. He tries to do it sitting and laying down too. Don't get me wrong, he's not just a little toughie. He is very sensitive too. He holds stuffed animals and sings rock-a-bye-baby to them. He kisses and hugs them. He often responds quickly when I feign tears in effort to win his kisses. He's a sweet boy, for sure. But he loves any kind of ball and something in me swells with pride when I see him enjoying these things, I don't know why. I don't particularly care for sports, but if he were playing, I would be at every game.

Raised in the same household, with the same adoring parents...how can kids be so different? It's like they were pre-programmed to gravitate towards these gender-specific identities. I have no doubt, our subtle prodding along the way has encouraged the roles to develop. Matt always putts Madison in bed with a kiss, and calls her his little princess. So, from day one, she has had this whispered to her every day. Drew, I don't know where the ball thing happened. I think we encouraged his interest with proud clapping and praise, and it just grew. Even very small, he was interested in balls like this. Matt thinks it is because he watched and spoke of sports often, even before Drew's birth. Could be. Who knows. All I know is that I adore the precious monkeys more than anything.