I have three kids, or as I often refer to them, two bookends and a middle. It’s fascinating to me how similar and yet unique they each are. All three of them were born on Thursdays and all three were induced. My first and last, although of different genders, were each born after only three hours of intense labor. My second child took twelve long hours to emerge.
While both her brother before her and her sister after her weighed in at seven and eight pounds, she was only six pounds, two ounces. Her brother was a bloody mess when he came into the world and her sister entered with her fists clenched. This baby, however, literally flew into the doctor’s hands looking beautifully unscathed. Of course, she was the one of the three of them that had to go to the NICU for observation because she whined instead of crying. I maintained then, and I still do, that she was merely complaining about its having taken so long to get here.
My bookends are both loud and full of energy. Their presence demands attention. My middle is quiet and far happier observing than being the focus of any room. All three of them have a cutting sense of humor and are incredibly intelligent, but whereas my middle one loves books, the other two think of them as a punishment.
My son and his youngest sister are the entertainers of the family. While he holds court, amusing us all with his stories, his little sister is a triple threat when it comes to performing, singing, dancing and acting. In contrast, my other daughter is going into high school in the fall and will be studying robotics.
As one of five kids myself, it’s got me wondering if all parents see such contrasts and common threads between their children. Although I am close with my siblings, I see us as very different. I don’t think I could lump any two of us together the way my oldest and youngest mirror each other.
Each of my children has a heart of gold, and as Mary Poppins would say, “are practically perfect in every way!” I am so grateful to have them and to continue along this journey.
Their differences are what make it interesting, while at the same time their similarities are what bond them. Their love for each other is unquestionable and I am truly honored to be a part of their lives. I’m just curious, are your kids mirroring one another like mine or do you find each of them to have completely different personalities?
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Bridget Straub is a writer, mom and eternal optimist. She has three children she loves dearly, as well as four novels in need of a publisher and one musical on its way to production. You can follow her at bridgetstraub.com.