Parenthood

Have you ever known a family that has twins? If yes, you have probably often concentrated on their similarities. I did not realize that twins also have many differences until I had my twin girls. If you have twins, the comparison starts from day one. Even if they look alike, parents just know the difference.

With my twin girls, when they are sleeping, they look alike. But upon taking a closer look, I have found that they are as different as day and night. Aside from Yara and Lara’s outward characteristics, they possess several distinguishing traits that allow them to be viewed as two separate, independent individuals. They have very dissimilar personalities. For example, Lara is not a great sleeper, especially during the day. She is a very light and restless sleeper. She cannot sleep for more than about 30 to 60 minutes at a time unless she is swaddled in her bouncy chair. She usually cries shortly after I put her down flat in her crib. However, Yara likes to sleep during the day and must get a sufficient amount of nap time, otherwise, she gets anxious and uncomfortable. In spite of this, both of them like to be swaddled with their arms out when they sleep.

We are watching them grow up at the same time, in the exact same environment. So when we observe how different they are, we realize the fact that each one has her unique personality. Now, at 7 months, they have met many developmental milestones, and it’s becoming impossible not to compare them. Lara is an active baby who has always been more verbal, while Yara is quieter. Lara started rolling at 6 months, while it took Yara an extra month. Yara smiles at anyone who looks at her, while Lara gets more surprised to see people for the first time.

One day, when my girls are older, they will ask about stories from when they were babies. I will be so excited to share the stories about things that we take for granted in these early stages. I will laugh with Lara as I talk about how she used to get surprised each time she found something new. Yara and I will giggle about the ‘eating’ activity; how she used to like eating at the same time as her father. It will be so interesting to share with them that even though look the same, their personalities were different right from the start.