Have anyone else's babies switched personalities?

My DD was extremely difficult as a newborn. She was terrified of EVERYONE (even me, at first) and very slow to warm up to new people. She didn't take a bottle her first week at daycare, and after that, would only take a bottle from one person. She would scream when anyone walked in the room except her primary teachers. My DS, on the other hand, was sweet and easy going from birth. I've realized over the last several weeks (they are almost 1) that they have switched! DS is now easily frustrated and very demanding- he throws fits when he can't get what he wants, is always into everything, takes things from his sister etc. DD is now sweet as pie (although still very shy). What is up with that??? It's amusing to see how their little personalities develop so differently then you expect.

 

I used to make the comment all the time that my girls would switch personalities every couple of months. It was really neat to see how they changed over time. However, the one that was out going in the beginning, is still the out going one, and the one who started off reserved is now the reserved one. But they would switch back and forth several times over the course of the first two years.

 

Mine also used to change about every six months. One was a more needy infant. The other became needier in the second six months. Etc. It went on well into the preschool years.

 

Mine switched around the 6 month mark as well. The one who was the very needy baby (DD1) now plays easily by herself and sleeps well. The one who was more relaxed as an infant and a great sleeper (DD2) is now much needier (I call her my little shadow...she follows me every where!) and needs to be picked up a cuddled a LOT. She has also had a much harder time sleeping the last 6 months or so. I felt bad when they were born that DH and I were always giving so much attention to DD1 because she needed more but now that they've flipped I figure they're just making things even for each other .

 

I called mine, the "needy one" and the "neglected one" because one needed all m attention and the other one was perfectly fine with minimal needs being taken care of, in fact, when ppl would ask me, how it was so hard with two babies, i said, it was really more like one and half babies cause the other one was so easy, we joked how she would just follow her sister along as they got older trying to keep her out of trouble.
Now that they are about 20 months. My easy go lucky baby, has become impossible, she doesnt want to sit in the stroller, carseat, highchair etc. dosnt want to get dressed,changed, put on her winter gear etc, she is the one leading the climbing onto the table chairs etc. and the one that was soo hard is the most laid back baby you have seen, of course she will copy her sister in her antics, but would have never thought of them herself.


My theory is that all the attention that the harder one gets, goes on to make them feel more secure so they behave better, and for better or worse, the other one is lacking attention makes her feel more insecure...would love to hear someone else weigh in on that theory

 

This sounds a lot like my guys!! My friends used to joke that when the boys were newborns, Nate was always asleep in every picture, while Jack was always awake. Now, Jack needs at least 2-3 hour more sleep per day than Nate, so it's always *Jack* who's asleep! :lol:

Also, we used to call Jack our "drama queen" because he seemed to escalate every irritation into a meltdown. Now he's a lot more calm, and Nate often gets upset more easier.

Then there's the eating. Jack would always finish his bottles, and Nate developed a bottle-aversion; he had to be spoon-fed formula or nursed exclusively. Today, Nate eats like a lumberjack and Jack is more moderate. ardon:

This is one of the things I find so interesting about twins; they can be sooo different, and switch things up when you least expect it!

 

I have the exact same thing with the neediness roles switching. I think we have switched about 4 times now. Good to know we have a ways to go...heh heh. The phrase "mine mama" just started last week. I told them I am no one's property.