Despite this, I see myself in their personality quirks every day, every minute. With Elliott, it is his anal retentiveness, his close adherence to the "rules of life." Some of these are wonderful, like the totally exaggerated way he looks both ways before crossing the street. Or how everything in playroom has it's own place - not that he puts things away on his own accord, but God forbid you put something away where it doesn't belong! Other rules can be frustrating, like how we don't go in bathrooms with hand dryers despite the million times I have told him they are "just loud, not scary." Or that vegetables are gross (btw, did you know that french fries are not potatoes? Potatoes are gross, but french fries are delicious, ergo, french fries are NOT potatoes). But no matter how frustrating Elliott's Type A can be, I GET IT, because I am totally that way. And if I am completely honest, I kind of love it, because he gets it from ME.
Lily, on the other hand, is this sassy little spitfire who lives to torture me with her total disregard for authority. When you tell her not to do something, she grins this cheesy smile as if to say, "You don't really mean that... I am far too adorable to say no to," and she is pretty much right on the money. Every line is meant to be challenged, no wall too high to climb, every closed door just means look for a different door. She's not afraid of anything or anyone. No one is going to push this girl around. She knows what she wants and will run over any obstacle. While I cringe and apologize to the parents of the crying little girl at playgroup who tried to take the ball Lily wanted, secretly I cheer for my little Miss Independent. Because she's a girl after my own heart. We know what we want, and there isn't anything wrong with that (although Lily's ruthless methods might need a little shaping... I didn't say she was perfect!)
My two little stars. So different. But so me. And I love it.
Those kids of yours are TOO CUTE. (Which they totally also get from you ;-) )
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