Boys and girls are different. Now that I have one of each, in my mind, there is no doubt about it. Boys will be boys, and girls will be girls. C is now nine months old. His personality is beginning to shine, and while that personality shines, so do the differences between him and M when she was that age.
While M casually crawled around the house at nine months, cooing and squealing in delight, C bulldozes through the house, growling and grunting. Although much different methods of maneuvering, both equally adorable.
*Side note: I'm sure you will notice the difference between the attire of the first born compared to that of the second. M joyfully crawled around in a cute little dress, ribbon in hair. C.... the diaper is just fine.M, at nine months, would joyfully
sit with a toy, usually a doll, in
one place, for at
least twenty
minutes. C will
sit with a toy, usually a ball of any type, in
one place, for
no more than 6.5
seconds.
He will then gently... no... carefully... no... nicely... no...
rambunctiously throw the ball to retrieve it and will do this again and again. Kind of like Sampson, our labrador, who at that same age would partake in this identical activity when no one else would play fetch with the poor guy.
Again, much different than M, but just as adorable.
At nine months, M loved Sampson. Don't get me wrong. C loves him too, he just prefers to display his affection for the old man in a much different way. M used to crawl up to Sampson and give him an enormous bear hug. C prefers to crawl over Sampson, several times, before pulling an enormous chunk of shedding hair from his back. 
Sampson, as shown above, simply goes with the flow, knowing this activity will only last for no more than 6.5 seconds, as C will then be on to his next activity, which may include, but may not be limited to, happily banging the remote control on the coffee table, digging his hands into the soil of the closest potted plant, pulling the cookbooks off the small kitchen bookshelf, finding the pantry door open and rummaging through the jars of baby food found on the bottom shelf, sitting (for no more than 6.5 seconds) in front of the dryer, giggling at the clothes being tossed around, or playfully splashing his hands in Sampson's water bowl.
So, forget the loads of toys we saved from M's younger years. A few balls, some household items and a twelve year old lab are all we need around this house to keep this nine month old entertained (in 6.5 second intervals, of course).
Meghan, explaining to Santa that she has been a very good girl this year and rattling a few things off her list..... an Ipod, Littlest Petshop toys, Littlest Petshop DS game, and a Webkin.
Before our Christmas celebration begins, we always start it off with a Christmas story. The older grandchildren take turns reading.
As M and C found multiple uses for the cardboard box, K was hard at work... four grueling hours worth... putting together the basketball goal that was originally inside that box. I'm not sure K had quite as much fun as M and C did on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.
However, being named "PIG Champion of the Neighborhood" shortly after the project was completed quickly lifted his spirits.
