Night and Day

Two years apart, my brother and I are complete opposites, and many families have this exact same scenario as well. Two siblings, born of the same mother and father, yet different as can be.

But it completely blows my mind to have two boys, same mother and father, carried in utero at the same time, and born on the same day (one minute apart, in fact) that are diverse in every sense of the word. I know our boys are fraternal twins, but it still shocks me at how different they are. And trust me, I am happy about this. I prefer two diametric creatures with distinct looks and personalities, and that is exactly what I got - babies that are opposite in every way, night and day differences, and amazing both together and separate.

Allen and I have heard that twins can switch personalities and characteristics for several years after birth. So far, ours have stayed true to themselves even from their time in the womb. Because they are different as night and day, I wanted to make sure and remember their characteristics early on to see if they change later.



Mason

• Mason was "Baby A" in my belly. He was head down and positioned so low in the birth canal that my doctors predicted the boys would make an early appearance into the world. He was "stuck" in that position for the last few months of my pregnancy. He is our cuddler. He loves nothing more than to be talked to and held and rocked and cuddled.
• He is laid back, happy-go-lucky, and calm. He smiles often and sometimes acts very shy when he smiles at you.
• He has auburn hair and long eyelashes with big blue eyes on a round, pale yet rosy-cheeked face.
  
• He is much larger and rounder than Brody. From his chubby little fingers and toes to his sweet little ankles and thighs, his fat rolls make him even more kissable.
• Mason is our verbal fella. He coos and babbles, is easily entertained, and can entertain himself for longer bouts of time than his brother. His talking is of varied pitches and when his voice goes really high, he likes to put his head down a little and roll his eyes back. He's such a goober.
  
• He is content sitting in your lap watching you or facing outward to see the entire room. He can often be caught watching the TV, and he loves black and white photos.
• Mister Mason loves his pacifiers. Any color, any brand, any type- he's not prejudice; he loves them all. He has even started sucking on his hands and making smacking noises. Hey- at least his hands are empty calories. HA!
  
• Because of his roundness, he doesn't hold his head up as well and can't "stand" on his legs as long as Brody. But he sure is cute looking up at you with those big blue eyes and flashing his super grin!
• Mason is a daddy's boy! Allen can get him to smile and coo more than anyone, and once he hears his daddy's voice, Mason forgets anyone else exists.
  
• He wears a size 6-9 month sleeper, size 2 diapers, and drinks a 4-5 ounce bottle with a Level 3 nipple every three or three and a half hours. We recently started adding a Tablespoon of rice cereal to a few of his bottles too. The child will definitely let you know if it is dinner. Like his mama, he prefers not to skip meals.
• Mason was on some medication for reflux, but we have taken him off of it because we felt it made him grumpy and irritable. He tends to have more belly issues than Brody and definitely isn't as "regular" as his brother.
• He recently started a new thing where he holds his hands a funny way, like the Italians do in the movies. We often ask him "if he wantsa some spaghetti" and "if he needs to drinka summa vino."
  
• His nicknames are "Chewy," "Chubbs," "Buttercup," and "Tooty," all said in the nicest way possible, of course.

Brody

• Chief Brody was "Baby B" and moved constantly in my belly. He kicked and punched and rolled because he was positioned crosswise across the top of my stomach and had room to be a "mover and a shaker."
• He is independent and prefers you to hold him up on his feet so he look around the room. He usually has his hands and feet moving and does well holding his head up by himself for long periods of time.
  
• Brody has a great smile too, but he chuckles more than Mason. Where Mason has a more reserved giggle, Brody's laugh is big and loud. He doesn't laugh a ton yet, but it cracks us up when he does.
• There isn't one spot that Brody prefers as long as he can move and look around the room. Mason does better in one place, but we often play the juggling game with Brody, moving him from the floor to our lap to the swing to the vibrating chair to the play mat to the Bumbo chair and then repeating.
• Brody has curly hair (especially when it is wet), although he has less hair than Mason. His eyes have already started turning brown and his eyelashes are dark. His skin is olive-colored.
• He weighs less and is thinner than Mason and has been since birth.
• Brody growls when he talks. His cooing isn't as high-pitched as Mason's, and he acts like it takes a great deal of effort for him to "talk" to you. He's pretty proud after he talks to you and often only gets one little "Grrrrrrr" out before he grins from ear to ear.
• He's happy when moving and loves you to hold him and walk; life without movement is boring to our little man.
• He sits much better in the Bumbo chair than Mason because he is able to hold his head up better, although he won't stay in it long unless he can see what is happening around the room.
• The Chief loathes pacifiers (and will literally spit it across the room if you try to put one in his mouth) but loves to suck and chew on your fingers and his too.
• He drinks 5-7 ounces from a Level 2 nipple every three to three and a half hours and wears a 3-6 month sleeper. As Mason outgrows clothes, Brody gets to wear them.
• Brody takes a stomach medication twice a day to help him digest formula a it better. Overall, it has helped immensely with his fussiness.
  
• His nicknames are "Brother," "Chief," "Fussypants," and "Scooter." Again, all are said in the sweetest baby voices and meant with nothing but fondness.
• Brody likes to help you hold his bottle and grabs on to our skin, shirt, necklace or whatever is in his reach. He has left marks on my arm from pinching so hard. This little dude can best be described as "intense."

Different as night and day, they both have redeeming and heart-warming qualities. We're so darn in love with these little dudes! These boys have made our patience stronger, our laughs louder and more frequent, our days longer and nights shorter, and most importantly, they have increased our hope and commitment to the future. Thank God for answered prayers!