Boys vs Girls

I have 2 daughters and a son, and they are glaringly different so far (he's only 3).  My son has a much sweeter and calmer temperament.  He gets his feelings hurt quicker but also loves to be rough and throw things across the living room.  My girls are both high drama and they are growing up so fast that they just don't need me as much.  My son is not dumb, he's just so much more simple--he throws fits but not over his outfits or his hair.  He is remaining a baby WAY longer than my girls.  They are 9 and 5 but act 16 with attitude and eye rolling.  He is just sweeter and somehow more kind.

A few months back, I was going through my morning routine--which includes frantically trying to make myself presentable for a sales job where I have to be presentable EVERY DAY (ugh!).  He kept coming in and saying "Mommy, Mommy"--I was kind of ignoring him as I do most mornings, until he finally stomped and yelled "MOMMY!"  I replied (more than a little annoyed) also in a loud voice, "WHAT?!"  He then said really quietly "you look pretty today."  Tears started to fill my eyes and all I could do was grab him in a hug and say thank you.  I commented on Facebook that day "I saw God today" (as the song goes).

It's the little things like that where he sets himself apart.  Part of it's his age but I love that he still wants to cuddle and still carries his blankie around (calls it his "deetee" after our friends' 3 yr old told him that is what he called his blanket) and misses his "sissies" when they are gone.

This picture is special not because it's a great shot (it's not), but because he has adopted a routine at Preschool drop off every morning.  I was highly annoyed by it at first but have grown to not only tolerate it but to LOVE it.  He wants about 5-10 hugs and kisses before I can walk away and he most of the time still throws a fit when I leave.  I should be rushing to work as the traffic is horrendous and I hate to be late, but for 2-3 minutes each day, I give in to his needs and we hug and kiss and hug and kiss.  He says "one more huggie, one more kissie" and I indulge him.  You see, I'm still a hero to him and he loves me so much that my heart just bursts when I pick him up and he screams "Mommy" and runs to hug me and we are reunited.  

I linger there too long because I love it and I know that one day he won't want those huggies and kissies and he will all but run from me at drop off.  I stay because I want to hold on to the brief moment of him as a toddler and take a mental snapshot of how perfect he is.  I thank God for giving me a son (finally) because he's teaching me so many things my daughters can't.