Opposites attract

These two. They melt my heart! It's true that I don't love one more than the other, but I do love them differently. They're such different people!

We tease that Hope is just like me, and Grant is just like Daddy (with one exception being that Hope and Daddy are the brave ones, whereas Grant and I are more "cautious"). Not only do they look just like us, but their personalities are so much like ours. Still, I find more and more things to learn about them as they grow.

Hope is a deep thinker. She asks big questions and has deep thoughts and wonders about things. She's a people-pleaser, not wanting to disappoint anyone (me, in particular). She's naturally athletic, and even though she hasn't done much with organized sports, she has a lot of strength and agility and good instincts. Hope is not very modest at all, but we're working on developing some appropriate modesty! She is well-liked by all her classmates, and really cherishes her friendships. At recess and at home, she's just as happy to play with boys as she is to play with girls.  Hope likes to try new things, be it new foods or new experiences. She still has her big imagination, and loves adventure stories and movies. She is pure sunshine and delight!

Grant is a comedian, always ready with a silly dance or a funny face to make people laugh. He's also very compassionate and tender-hearted. He remembers things about people, and does little gestures to show he cares (there's a boy at school who is crazy about dinosaurs, and Grant often wants to give him dinosaur books and toys from his stash. And he knows I like the color purple, and is always on the lookout for it). He's very generous with his physical affection, and his tokens of affection! Grant is built like a tank - lots of power, but not a lot of grace. He likes our family outings, but is also very content with a weekly routine. Grant is not in any big hurry to grow up (thankfully), and while he doesn't resist when he needs to be independent, he's also not in a rush to have more responsibilities or be away from "Mama Bird." His mind is incredible - I've never known such a little boy to be so interested in electronics, circuitry, and machinery. Plus, his vocabulary is through the roof! My heart swells when I think about him, because he is one-of-a-kind, and just so darn charming!

They're about as different as they can be, but they love each other so much. When Hope laughs her musical, best-sound-ever laugh, sometimes Grant's face lights up and he'll say "Don't you just love her beautiful laugh?" And when Grant is hamming it up, performing for Hope's attention, she fawns on him and kisses and cuddles him like she just really delights in him. White bread days!