Little Boys

This post is dedicated to all the parents with little boys.

I have 2 and I love them.

When I became pregnant with Finn, everyone (I mean, EVERYONE) kept saying "I hope you have a girl this time!".

No.

I don't want a girl.

I started off all "I'll be happy wither either gender as long as baby is healthy". But then it changed as I got closer to finding out what baby would be and I desperately hoped for a boy.

I love my little boys.

So many people think they are messy, loud, smelly, lazy, busy, trouble etc. all wrapped into one constantly moving entity. And yeah, they are.

But I am a girl, and I remember my teenage years. And my sister is younger then me, so I remember hers really well too. While I know boys are no walk in the park during their teenage years, I don't think I could handle a teenage girl and come out the other side alive and well. I was made to mother boys, and I'm glad I have two!

A lot of people get caught up with society norms and what people will think if your little boy was loud and dirty and being goofy in a grocery store or out in public somewhere. I'm REALLY lucky that Gage is so well behaved whenever we go out anywhere. I get compliments all the time that he's so polite and quiet.

But he's not always like that. Sometimes he forgets we are in public and sings at the top of his voice. Or he makes car noises. Or he pretends (loudly) he has a jetpack strapped to his back. And I never quiet him, despite the stares from the non-parents and older generation in my local grocery store. Or when he asks for something at the checkout and I say "no" and he has a MASSIVE (I mean MASSIVE) tantrum? I don't threaten him with punishment or time out. Because he's a KID, and he's still learning his emotions.

When he plays outside and squishes bugs and gets mud all over or sits on the muddy ground, I don't yell at him because he's a KID.

A friend of mine mentioned that today she took her kids to a local play group and how she noticed all the mom's hovered over their children and didn't let them play freely without interference.

Kids need to be kids! I personally don't think Gage would have the incredibly creative imagination he has now if I'd hovered and insisted on helping him play!

Sometimes I need to remind myself of this when I'm having a busy day and I don't feel like I talk to him or played with him a lot. I'll go looking to see what he's up to only for him to be totally into a game he's invented. He is totally in this "Watch this, mom!" stage, where he has to show me every little thing he does (and compliment how big his muscles are and how tall he's grown) and I LOVE it.

I love my smelly, loud, goofy, dirty little boys!