2 seven-year-olds

Thinking back on when Nadia turned seven in June 2015, here are some ways my first two seven year old children are similar and different:

1. Although Ian has come a LONG way over the past several years in this regard, Nadia definitely was far more friendly and extroverted.

2. Similarly, although Nadia was still a bit braver than Ian at this age, he had again come a LONG way. They were both jumping off the diving board without any flotation devices, riding roller coasters, and singing solos or duets in front of large audiences. Nadia didn't want to ride a pony in horse back riding lessons, whereas Ian had to be talked into riding a big horse, and once he did so he realized he loved it.  Nadia enjoyed spending 3 nights at Camp Susque the month she turned 7. Ian loved the Good News Day camp this past summer, but he has no desire to go to an overnight camp at the age of seven.

3. Both were very affectionate although in different ways.

Nadia used to write me many, many love notes when she was this age, whereas I have yet to get one from Ian. On the other hand, Ian is far more prone to verbally speaking words of encouragement and also asks to cuddle with me at least once a day. Ian is also far more empathetic and sensitive to the feelings of others. He experienced the loss of a loved one (Grandma) before he turned seven, and Nadia didn't experience this until she was eight.

4. Both of them were playing the piano (up to 3 notes at one time).

5. Nadia was far more helpful, but Ian also does have some chores that he does around the house such as collecting the garbage from upstairs and bringing it down once a week, making his bed every day, putting away his clean clothes after I do the laundry, helping me dust, and putting away toys.

6. Ian is a much better soccer player than Nadia was at this age. Nadia was more

coordinated with ice skating than Ian.

7. Nadia wanted to do EVERY extracurricular activity possible. I actually had to shorten her list. Ian on the other hand often has to be prodded into doing things. Once he starts he enjoys it, but he thinks he just wants to play all the time (Legos or Mario on the Wii). Her favorite pastimes at home were dolls, books, and the iPad. Ian's are definitely his Mario stuffed animals, playing Mario on the Wii, and playing with Legos.

8. At this age Nadia was more independent. She already knew how to tie her shoes, shampoo her hair, cut her fingernails, and fill in the blanks in the sermon outlines on Sunday morning. Ian hasn't done any of those things yet, but he did learn to ride a bike without training wheels earlier than Nadia did.

9. Nadia had already been learning some Spanish and keyboarding. Ian hasn't started with either of those yet. Both of them were reading chapter books.

10. In terms of school work, when Nadia turned seven she had already finished first grade (= summer birthday), and Ian was half-way through first grade. Nadia had completed the first grade science textbook, whereas Ian will finish the second grade science textbook next month. Nadia had completed part of the third grade science curriculum, whereas Ian will finish the second grade curriculum next month. Nadia was half-way through the 2nd grade math book, and Ian is one fourth of the way through that book. Ian knows his addition and multiplication facts, which Nadia didn't have memorized when she turned seven. Nadia's handwriting was better than Ian's.

11. Although Nadia was the one saying she wanted to be an artist, actually Ian is the one who spends far more time drawing than Nadia ever did.

12. I can't compare their weights/heights precisely because Nadia's appointment was when she was almost 7 1/2 and Ian's was right after he turned 7. But at 7 1/2 Nadia weighed 50 pounds and was 46 inches tall compared to Ian's weight of 48 pounds yesterday and height of 46.5 inches. Although the numbers are very similar, the percentiles were very different because of the difference in gender. Ian still wears size 5 pants, which wasn't true of Nadia when she turned seven.