Kids - Compare and Contrast

By David Howie

We recently did a post of Alaina Ruth and what she’s up to, so I thought I’d do a post of Aubrey and Jude and what they’re up to.  I find it very interesting to look at comparisons and contrasts between the 2 and what their different ages, different genders, and different personalities bring out.  (This is not at all a comparison to find which is better.  I love them both completely.)

Aubrey is about 43 months old and about 33 pounds.  Jude is about 21 months and about 25 pounds.  They are both full of energy and are always running.  They both love going outside, playing on the deck, swinging, and going down the slide.  They love getting dirty.  The way they both run is hilarious to me.  Aubrey runs with her right arm swinging wildly and her left arm pulled in likes it’s in a sling.  Jude still has that jerky up and down motion with his legs like he’s still just learning.

Jude’s favorite animal is a “doggie.”  Every 4 legged animal is a doggie to Jude.  And every drink is “milk” and every round thing is a “ball.”  He has definite preferences, but we don’t always know what he’s talking about.  Aubrey is a big talker.  She’s learning to wait her turn though.

Aubrey loves to change clothes.  She always wants to wear one of her dresses, or her princess dress-up clothes she got for Christmas, or even some of Carrie’s shirts that are dresses on her.  She changes multiple times a day, and we try to limit it to a reasonable number just so laundry doesn’t fill up so fast.  Jude usually gets mad when we change his clothes.

Jude is almost always smiling and laughing.  Aubrey’s expression is generally more neutral.  It’s not that she doesn’t smile – just not as much as Jude.  And he seems more ticklish.  His best spots are his collar bones.  She is ticklish when she wants to be.  Her best spots are inside her thighs.  Arm pits work on both.

Aubrey has always liked us to read to her, and has gotten to where she’ll read by herself.  Jude will bring books to us and sit in our lap, but then he’s ready to go to something else by the time we get to page 2.

Jude isn’t really interested in TV either.  Aubrey likes it.  She likes all the Disney princess movies, PBS Kids, and Dancing with the Stars.

Aubrey loves to color.  Jude loves to eat crayons.

Jude is more physically affectionate.  He gives random hugs a lot.  If you ask for a kiss, he’ll usually give you one.  If you ask him to give Alaina a kiss, he always gives her one.  Aubrey will give kisses but more often than not will act shy.  She is very verbally affectionate.  We have a game where she says, “Let’s say how much we love each other.”  So we’ll say “I love you as big as the water on the way to church” or “I love you as high as the clouds.”  It’s neat to see how creative she can be.  The ultimate is still “I love you as high as the ceiling above the stairs.”

Aubrey follows directions well.  If you tell her to clean her room, she will.  Jude follows examples well.  If you start to pick up his room, he will copy you and pick up too.  He’s very ‘monkey see, monkey do.’  Of course that just puts more pressure on Aubrey (as in “Aubrey you obey and set a good example for Jude”).

They each have their own bedtime routine.  Jude’s room is fairly neat because we don’t play much in there.  So I’ll take him up, brush his teeth, give him his paci, change his diaper, and put his pajamas on.  Then I turn out the lights and hold him standing near the bed.  He lays his head on my shoulder and I say a prayer and sing Silent Night.  I lay him in bed, and he throws his paci out.  I hand it back and he puts it in and goes to sleep.  He almost always goes down at night with no problem.  Sometimes for naps he’ll fuss for a while or even skip them.

Usually Aubrey is cleaning her room while I’m putting Jude down.  If she played a lot and didn’t nap, it can be pretty messy.  I’ll come help her a little and then we brush her teeth, and she goes potty.  Then we practice her catechism (she knows the first 30 of the children’s catechism – we usually practice 3 or 4 each night) and read a story.  Then she puts on her pajamas and we turn out the light.  I’ll lay by her in the bed and say a prayer and sing.  She likes to “sing how we read” so I’ll just make up a song summarizing the story we read that night.

They are different at waking up too.  When Aubrey wakes up, she immediately starts calling, “Daaa-Deee, Daaa-Deee, Daaa-Deee” (or “Maaa-Meee, Maaa-Meee, Maaa-Meee”) over and over until we get up there.  When Jude wakes up, more often than not, we can hear him moving around for a while before he starts fussing or calling.

Both of them have a big sweet tooth and love chocolate.  Aubrey is always asking for dessert.

Both of them have a bit of a temper and will throw big fits from time to time.  Jude likes to throw things when he’s angry.  We’ll correct him on something and he’ll throw whatever he’s holding, like his toy or cup.  Like it hurts us for him not to have his cup.  Then usually he wants it back.  The picture of helpless anger I guess.

When we would discipline Aubrey, she always seemed like it was no big deal and would even tell us that it didn’t bother her.  We can just tell Jude “No” and he’ll burst into tears.  Thankfully they have both responded well to discipline thus far.

I look forward to seeing how their personalities develop and mature (and whether Alaina Ruth will tend toward one or the other or her own thing), and how God uses each one of them.