Developmental Differences

Hannah and Katie are only 14 months apart. Because of their closeness in age, I assumed that I could expect Katie to be doing the things that Hannah was doing a year ago. If Hannah learned to put on her own shoes at age 3, Katie would also learn at 3. I was glad to have an easy reference point for various developmental milestones. I was wrong.

Hannah and Katie are so different in their development. In many ways Hannah is ahead of Katie developmentally. This comes as no surprize. I am surprized when Katie is more than a year behind Hannah developmentally. Sometimes I think that she will never learn certain. In other ways, Katie is far ahead of Hannah. It is when I realize that Katie is surpassing Hannah that I am most surprized. Katie is better at somethings than her sister. I knew that the girls would be different and be good at different things. I just didn't expect their differences to be apparent so quickly.

So, here is a summary of developmental discrepancies that I have recently noted.

• Hannah learned her animal sounds at 15 months. Katie learned them at 29 months.
• Hannah began to enjoy having books read to her at 14 months. Katie began tolerating it at 20 months and enjoying it at 23 months.
• Hannah started coloring and painting pictures at 2 1/2. Katie does not like to color pictures.
• Katie started coloring the walls at 18 months. Hannah started coloring the walls today.
• Hannah began wearing her hair in pigtails at 13 months. Katie will not leave her hair in pigtails. I became weary of her ripping her hair out with the ponytail holder so I don't fix Katie's hair anymore.
• Katie enjoys Bible class and goes willingly. Hannah still attends the 2 year old class because "Katie needs me to take care of her." Hannah has no interest in the 3-4 class.
• Katie never took a bottle, not even to bed. Hannah took a bottle until she was almost 3 1/2. She would take one today if I would let her.
• Hannah's hair grew long very quickly. Katie's hair is just now past her shoulders.

I have been thinking a lot about the girls' development because Katie has taken a giant developmental leap. She is using a lot more language then before. I can now understand words like: Hannah, Elijah, baby, elephant, zebra, no thank you, again, more, I'll be back (she yells this as she runs away to play). She has also developed some cute behaviors. She will find objects around the house and bring them to the owner. I'll be cooking dinner and she brings my brush. Before I can take it, she yells "gore gel-come" and runs off. Too funny. So, for all of you grateful blog-readers out there "gore gel-come"!