Likes and Dislikes

Somehow, January is almost over, and I'm thinking about the things I've discovered about my kids this month. What personality people have so early in life! I go back and forth about how much parents influence their kids, to what extent it is natural and nurture. There is without a doubt quite a difference between girls and boys naturally (apparently this is somewhat scientifically up for debate, but I really have no idea why Harper gravitated to the little baby doll at daycare and started rocking it and carrying it around - we didn't have one she liked at home, and I didn't model with anyone except her. She is surrounded by cars and trains and dinosaurs!). I look at Asher and notice how sensitive he is, and wonder how different he would be if I used abusive language or lacked sensitivity towards him. I could see his wonderful, curious light being extinguished. I look at Harper and see her developing her voice and independence, and wonder how different she would be if I didn't let her make many mistakes with her socks, shoes and pouring water.

I have learned this month that Harper likes
putting on her socks, shoes and even her pants (note the picture with her pants not quite pulled up - she put them on herself! I was so surprised. She has quite the patience to try these things until she can do them and to find the best system)
imitating Asher and doing what he likes to do and play with
putting hats on herself and Playmobil people
dogs (oh, dear - how will this non-dog lover get over that if she asks for one one day)
talking - English and a form of Harperese. I swear she said platypus in the bathtub the other day
pouring water - she can't get enough of it
reading more and more
her belly button
potato chips
doing things her own way like not wearing clothes, wearing shoes on the wrong feet and reading books upside down
her crib
baby dolls
taking my headbands and wearing them as necklaces
singing and music.

and Harper dislikes
sitting down to eat
not getting what Asher gets
Asher taking things from her (likes screaming when this happens)
putting on her jacket.

Asher likes
drawing and cutting paper
running
being a super hero, sometimes Spiderman and sometimes Bat Man and sometimes with powers in his stomach or fee
jumping on the bed
playing, playing and playing some more
imitating animals and baby animals (in the picture of him lying on the chair, he was a baby bat and in the picture of him and Harper in the crib, he was a baby mountain lion)
cartoons like they're crack
keeping up the facade that he doesn't like Harper (though he was very sweet to her today)
chicken nuggets (which we've taken to calling "chicon" in a semi-French way in our house. Even Harper can say it!)
talking and trying to say new words like truculent and perspicacious
being a swimming dog in the bathtub
playing with me
running from me while trying to get him dressed
chocolate after using the potty
saying prayers and singing before he goes to sleep
asking first thing in the morning, "Where are we going today?"
reading
talking about the alphabet and using his fingers to show how many.

Asher dislikes
Harper taking things from him
chili, fish and tuna noodle casserole
having his hair washed.