oooh, this sparked some ideas, Nonnie! Thank you for the lovely prompt 🙂

All newborns are generally a tiny bundle of responses and needs, but give them a few months and they begin to show their distinct personalities…

Durin is an easy sleeper, but Dísith is a demanding cuddler. She likes to fall asleep on her father’s chest, her little fingers buried in his beard. It’s Dain’s old chair, too. The Stonehelm leans back, props up a book and holds her against his heartbeat until she stops mumbling and fussing, and finally falls asleep. It’s not unheard of for her father to fall asleep that way too, the pages of his book riffling open and neglected on his lap.

Bomfris has discovered them together this way, more than once. 

Durin is a grabber. He has a strong, stubborn grip that causes Bomfris both pride and worry. He’s ENDLESSLY curious, and is most definitely that child that sticks everything in his mouth. He is also good at focusing early: he follows his mother’s finger as she waves it before him, and grabs for his toys with something a little more purposeful than the usual baby flail. 

Dísith is not a wailer. She is a HOWLER. When she is upset – say, she is wet, or hungry, or sleepy – she yells blue murder. Sometimes little ones just yell at their parents, and the parent is left with the guessing-game of OH GOD WHAT IS WRONG WE JUST DON’T KNOW, WE’VE TRIED IT ALL… and Dísith will just yell and yell, red in the face, a furious little nugget of discontent. 

Durin is the one who likes being carried everywhere. He is the backpack baby, the one who is chill with being worn in a sling or bundled onto Mum or Dad’s back and just watching everything happen with massive eyes (not all babies are into baby-wearing, jsyk! Some, but not all). He’ll put up with a bit of jostling if it means he’s strapped to Bomfris’ back as she goes about the Mountain. 

(Dísith will put up with it for a little while… but only if she is strapped facing forward.)

Dísith sits up early. Lying on her back constantly is boring as hell, and she wants to be an active part of everything instead of observing the ceiling all the time. She was a good roller, and was happy enough on her tummy too. It was almost as though she knew she had to strengthen those neck muscles enough to sit up herself. Before she was strong and big enough to sit, however… if you didn’t prop her up with cushions and include her in the conversation, you were toast. She is not a passive lil bubba. 

(Durin was decidedly NOT happy during Tummy Time). 

Disith chews her feet. She also learns to pull off her nappy. She was the first to crawl, and dear Mahal below the turn of speed she has is alarming. 

Durin sucks his thumb. He also is quick to begin ‘cruising’ on the furniture, using his strong little grip to haul himself upright and shuffle himself along. 

The one who takes to solid food first is

Dísith. FOOD IS AWESOME, MORE PLEASE. Durin is slightly fussier, and takes longer to adjust. Dinners with Durin are very messy. The Stonehelm has gone to council with mashed cauliflower and sweet potato on his jacket more than once. 

Durin smiles first, but Disith laughs first. Once they are both giggling, Bomfris develops an addiction to blowing raspberries on those lil chubby tummies, just to hear that laughter.

Teething Sucks. So. Much. For everybody involved. It’s bad enough with one, but two is nightmarish. Thira and Alris stay with the twins for a night during the ordeal, so that the Stonehelm and Bomfris can escape and grab 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. They were beginning to look sort of… haunted. 

There we go, some first-year!twins ideas 🙂