Compare and Contrast

I have now been a nanny for over a month and a half, with my new family. I work with an adorable 18 month little girl named Ashvini. I've started comparing my experience with Alex last year and with Ashvini this year.

Here are the similarities:

-Alex was an only child,and the first grandchild, Ashvini is an only child and the first grandchild, as a result they both received grandparent gifts pretty regularly.

-Alex didn't talk, and Ashvini doesn't talk yet.

-Alex screamed with joy when he saw a dog, and Ashvini won't take her eyes off it.

Here are the differences:

-Alex loved being tickled, Ashvini hates being tickled. When I tickle her she laughs then with a stern look tells me, "No, no no."

- When I let Alex climb up the stairs by himself, he was so happy. When I let Ashvini climb up the stairs, she looks at me as if saying, "Are you seriously going to make me do this? You know you can just carry me right?'

-Alex loved making messes, and Ashvini loves cleaning messes up. What an amazing child!

I love seeing these similarities, and differences. I love seeing different personalities come out and become more defined. There is one difference that I just can't account for.

When I was Alex's nanny I was often mistaken for his mother. I would constantly be told that he looked just like me. I started to say thank you and move on, it was so much easier then correcting them. One of my favorite examples, was when a woman told me I got my figure back so quickly. I walked away with a hop in my step. But this never seems to happen with Ashvini. People just instinctively know I'm the nanny.

Alex

Huh. I guess I just don't get it.

Ashvini