Overheard...

"I didn't lie...I just told you what I thought you were thinking in your head."

Was there a mistake?

A friend of mine, the amazing mother of two little girls, recently blogged her fears about finding out the gender of her yet-to-be-born #3. She grew up with all sisters, now has two girls, and was quite nervous about the possibility of testosterone streaming in her womb. (Results are in --- Testosterone it is!)

I laughed. Why? Because that's almost exactly what happened to me 7 1/2 years ago. I was so sure I was having a girl. There was no way God would send me a boy because I wouldn't know what to do with it and openly admitted that I just didn't understand little boys. (Not any better with "big boys...") I walked into the ultrasound suite confident in finding the "hamburger sign." You know...Hamburger sign for girls and Turtle sign for boys.

Yet, turtle it was.

I asked the sonographer a million time if she was sure. She was. My measurements were small, so the radiologist was brought in, whom I also drilled. Turtle? You sure? Really?

What was God thinking?

I didn't know what to do with a boy. I had no experience. I didn't get them. I only had 1 brother amid us 4 girls. He was 5 years older than me; that's like 130 years in kid-years. We didn't do anything together. Our daily interaction consisted of my rolling up the sleeves of his Vuarnet T-Shirts every morning (perfectionist little sisters are awesome at this.)

All I had observed I didn't understand. Mayhem and destruction? War? Beating a stick on the ground to find out how long before it disintegrates? Paying someone $0.50 to urinate on the side of their house? (Though it did provide for a lucrative business..) Huh?

But there he was, and still is. Boy, oh, boy. Mayhem and destruction? Check. War? Check. Beating a stick on the ground to find out how long before it disintegrates? Check. Check that one twice, actually. Paying someone $0.50 to ... well, I don't think that one's checked, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Seven years later, and I still don't know what to do with him. I frequently have to glance at his Dad and get the reassurance of "He's not a sociopath, that's just what boys do." For his sake, I've learned to speak GI Joe, Lego, and Avatar like a master. I've learned that the lack of aim is not on purpose - usually - and Clorox Wipes do wonders. I've learned that the amount of dirt and smell on a boy at bedtime is directly correlated to the fun of the day and happiness of the boy. I've learned to not ask "what were you thinking" unless I'm willing to accept the rationale. I've learned to "hear" love told in different ways.

So, friend, you are in for a ride. Brush up on your GI Joe, pull out a sword - or a stick - and hang on. Boys just come different, right out of the box, and I don't just mean in the diaper.

I'll never understand what God was thinking when he gave me this kid, but I'll always be glad he thought of me.

Overheard....

"Mommy---go to work. The only thing that makes me happy is being with daddy all day."

(Yeah, mommy felt a little stab wound, but I had to document it for future guilt giving, right?)

Overheard...

Road Trip Edition.....

Dad: "This area is called the Permian Basin because most of the dinosaurs bones they found here were from the Permian Era of time."

Abrielle (with a sign and the usual stars in her eyes): "Yeah, I remember that like it was yesterday...."

Overheard...

Big C to random kids at the pool.....

"Don't worry; that's my sister. She's kinda sassy. You'll have to get used to it."

Reasons Why "Pretty Princess" Rocks.....

1. She carries entertainment with her at all times....The Finger People! Think finger puppets but without the puppets. They carry on elaborate conversations and tonight were at "Six Flags" while I dried her hair.

2. 1 Part High Fructose Corn Syrup Sweet + 1 Part Habanero Pepper Spice ... Nothing subtle about her

3. That hair! Those cheeks! That smile! What a mix of genetics...Don't quite know how that result was produced, but, man is she gorgeous!

4. She has never passed a flower that she didn't pick ... and give to her mom! (Sorry, neighbors...)

5. The mind doesn't stop. She wants to learn and know everything. Especially if it has to do with reading or music/dance.

6. Everything is pretty in her world. I swear she doesn't even see the trash, just the beautiful sparkly reflection off of the can.

I'm lucky...

...and I love my Pretty Princess

Reasons Why "The Big C" Rocks....

1. He's a rock star....Seriously, Bon Jovi, that mop headed Bieber kid.....That's nothing compared to the response Big C gets from taking the trash outside, putting it into the compactor, and returning to the apartment. Screaming female fans await him at the door.

2. He (almost) never has to put his own shoes away...Because for some reason he has convinced his baby sister it's awesome to put brother's shoes in the closet.

3. He can entertain himself for days with a piece of cardboard, a used straw, tape, and a crayon (now know as GI Joe's rescue boat)

4. He tries anything...Take him to the grocery store and he'll find something new he wants to try...Rabe, Bok Choy, Brussel Sprouts, some sort of cactus....He wants it in our cart.

5. He can do the robot like he's screwed together and battery operated (Duracell of course...) Seriously, it's awesome.

6. He has the biggest heart...ever.....Huge!!!! You can't see it all the time. It's sort of a blur due to the rapid body movement. But the kid has a huge heart and loves....he just LOVES....If you are loved by The Big C, your are lucky, because he can really, really LOVE.


I'm lucky....

...and I love MY Big C!