Do they have different personalities?

Um...Yeah!

I love how strangers are always asking me in stores or such this question. They do like many of the same things, but in such different ways. Right now, we are in a big fashion and hygiene phase. They both want a lot of control in what they wear and how their hair looks. However, we are manifesting this very differently. Each morning, I lay out four or five different clothing options. Joiner can always find a choice she likes and quickly puts it on. Carly stares at the floor for at least five minutes with her finger on her cheek pondering. When she does speak it is to barter the choices in some way. She may like a pair of shorts that I have put out, but none of the shirts. Can she pick another? If I let her into the drawer, and I have made this mistake, she will take another hour. This is outfit #1. We have a 1 outfit a day policy. If you get unreasonably wet or dirty for some reason, you can change. They have learned this and I think sometimes strive to get so dirty they can change clothes. Then we start all over.

Now the hair...I have made them wear a choice of a ponytail, piggy tails, or a princess bun all summer because of the heat. Each morning we go over what they want me to do to their hair. Then they choose the clip they want for their "bangs." So Carly likes clips and wants it to be just the way she imagined it. She tells me at length where she wants the clip. Then I put it in her hair and she feels it and looks in the mirror and usually needs an adjustment. Joiner prefers head bands and likes to do it herself. She puts the hairband on all the way back them rakes it forward to pull all the hair onto her forehead. The result is one child has stepford-wife-like hair and one looks like a punk rocker. See, same interests, but a completely different manifestation.

I will say that I totally relate to Carly's need for things to be "just right." Andy calls them my systems and if ever a child had a system, then it is Carly. So Carly is teaching me patience with a small version of myself and Joiner's need for control when it so differs from mine is teaching me patience with others when things are not "just right." I wouldn't change it for the world.

This is Joiner Saturday in her self-styled outfit of a tank top and shorts, Gigi watch, and headband. She didn't understand why I wanted to take a picture.

Carly's back. She is wearing her "whatamaula" dress. I bought it in Asheville from a vendor that has these fairly traded dresses and blouses from Guatemala. It was a dress last year, but more of a tunic this year. She doesn't have to wear shorts while we are home, but she has to put them on when we leave. This is a battle every time.

Here is the front of Carly's hair. She was not happy with me. She wanted to be able to hold her shoe in front of her face and I told her it defeated the purpose. We do have a picture with the shoe in front of her face, but I am not posting it.