The whole boy thing

I never thought I'd be good at this "boy" thing. I remember bawling my eyes out in my obstetrician's office when the ultrasound tech announced it was a boy - I guess I was in shock- hoping to have another girl.

I still remember the look my doctor gave me as he walked into the room - "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"It's.....a......boy.." I blubbered.

"And?" he asked.

You see - my OB and his wife have 3 boys of their own - so no sympathy from him was ever going to come.

Almost 2 years later I'm slowly being indoctrinated into the world of boys. I've gained some insight and I'm still every bit as much afraid of raising a boy as before.

The one thing I've learned is that they are hard-wired differently than girls. 

Wyatt has grown up in a house full of dress-up clothes and barbie dolls. He's watched more barbie movies than most boys his age - and has a penchant for high heels and jewelry.

He's also obsessed with wheels and balls. This is not something we've taught him by any means. He's loved wheels since he could first Army crawl over to anything that moved. He would dive out of your arms and into the front seat of the car/truck so he could play with the steering wheel.

He's still compassionate and sweet - cuddly and quick to give hugs and kisses - but he's also rough and sometimes violent - in that he takes his toys and hurls them across the room - just to hear them crash. And then of course he laughs maniacally.

He's more physical than Maddie and I'm hoping he gets past this slapping and hitting phase he seems to be in these days. It's not something he's doing out of anger at all really - more just "hi mom, I'm here" kind of hitting. 

I've done nothing to encourage any kind of "boy" behavior. It's not that he's an experiment, but we just weren't about pushing him in one direction or the other. 

But he went the boy route all on his own and I'm amazed on a daily basis at the difference between the genders.

You can often hear me exclaim - I DID NOT teach him THAT! 

And that whole annoying boy- thing - you know when they're obsessed with playing with themselves and checking to see that "it's" still there? You know what I mean! 

Well that's definitely not something that he was taught - he started doing that on his own at a few months of age!

He climbs on everything - carries a ball around where ever he goes. He's obsessed with things that bounce - beating up on the cat (who tolerates him so well) and playing with cars and trains.

If you let him outside he goes straight to mike's truck (if it's there) and is verbally offensive when you make him get into his carseat in the van if the truck is available.

He sits and watches football and basketball with Mike - which warms hims daddy's heart.

He can also "sing" the FSU chant - and it's easily recognizable, t00! He also does the FSU "chop" all by himself - whenever he recognizes the FSU chant going on!

He makes his daddy proud and his momma, too.