I always thought I’d be the mother of girls. I always pictured myself raising a gaggle of sisters like the March family. I am a girl, I know how to be a girl, I know the good parts about being a girl and I understand the bad parts. I have been through them all. Boys are simply a mystery to me. I don’t understand them. They need too many haircuts, they occasionally smell strange, they always have holes in their socks, they play sports that require too much equipment, and they, um, wrestle. For fun.
We didn’t find out what we were having with baby #1. Because I knew she was a girl. And sure enough, she came out with all of the appropriate lady parts and I cried my fool head off because I was the mama of a girl.
We didn’t find out what we were having with baby #2. Because I knew she was a girl.
But, alas, when the baby came out, there was an unfamiliar appendage attached.
“A boy?” I asked, shocked.
A BOY?
A BOY?
A BOY.
Of course.
A boy.
I was the mama of a boy. One look and I knew. I was meant to be the mama of girls AND BOY.
I just hadn’t known it until that very moment.
Sure, he smells weird sometimes. Sure, I am constantly throwing out socks. Sure, he requires more haircuts than his sisters. Sure, he likes to wrestle. Sure, he never ever ever ever tells me anything. But he adds so much character to our family.
He is an important piece of the puzzle.
One that watches Sunday football with me.
And one that finds me giving him 100 kisses in a row.
Because, of course.
Me: Josh, there’s no way you can eat that entire cup of frozen yogurt.
Josh: Yes. Yes. Yes.
Me: I bet you that you can’t.
Josh: What do you want to bet?
Me: I don’t know…100 kisses?
Josh: BETTER GET THOSE LIPS READY!
He is TWELVE tomorrow, this boy.
12.
We’ve come a long way, Superman.
11 was a great year filled with so much fun and funny, and also, of course, two broken limbs.
Some broken appendages weren’t going to keep him from eating ribs, or going to Green Bay to see The Packers play at Lambeau Field.
Also, he makes me coffee almost every night.
I hope he never stops being him. Or wearing Superman t-shirts.
7