three's a crowd, so add another!!

I'd like to dedicate this entry to all those moms and dads I know that are expecting their second child. And if you happen to be one of those moms and dads, don't assume that I'm just writing about you, because it seems like there are scads of you out there these days!

I'd like to raise a glass to the second child - a child that will be born into siblinghood, a child who undoubtedly will have slightly more relaxed and/or confident parents, a child who will undoubtedly be different from his/her older sibling, thus throwing said parents for a loop.

I've seen it happen again and again that parents have a second child and are shocked at how different he/she is from the first. I admit that I sometimes think of Plava as "the kind of baby we make" and forget that she's only one kid. Not all our 10 kids are going to be like her. No, number 7 might be her arc-rival for all we know. Number 5 might be a spitting image of her but as far removed in terms of personality as possible. Then again, we may just spit out little clones.

Take my nieces, for example. Little C was born into the family and proved to be, naturally, as perfect as a first baby/grandchild/niece could be. She is fairly even tempered, she seems to learn things as fast as you can say "learn things", shocks us all daily with her cute wit and facial expressions, loves being a little girly-girl, and is pretty much the model child of the family. Her parents, grandparents, and of course her cool aunt and uncle all love her to bits, and she has certainly been given the attention due a first-born.

Then, from that same family, came number two, J. She couldn't be more different. She's got fiery red hair and a personality to match! She's busy busy busy discovering the world. Whereas C would come and sit on Grandpa's lap, J will climb up for a nanosecond, then hop down and rush off to some important location to do some important task. Run, rush, waddle, trip, bonk, grab, smile, scurry, this is J. She is hilarious. She is well loved, as well loved as C, but is just as opposite as dark chocolate and white chocolate. Mmmm, that makes me crave....
The question is, why do we assume (until proven wrong, that is) that number two will be similar to number one? Why did we envision little J to be sitting peacefully with C, reading books or something of the like. We couldn't have been more wrong. I'm happy about it though, that no child, or person for that matter, is the same. For Pete's sake, I think we might all kill each other if we were alike! I can hardly imagine what it would have been like as I grew up if my three sisters had been just like me. Individuality was a hot commodity in that household, and for good reason! Thank heaven for being your own person. Thank heaven for the surprise of a new personality in the family. Thank heaven for number two!!!!