Boy, oh Boy

When I first became pregnant, I knew I wanted a girl.  Not just because you got to dress them up and do their hair, take them shopping and go out to tea but because I was a girl, born into a family of three girls.  This meant I had no idea what to do with a boy and I was terribly afraid of having to raise one of those creatures.  It was hard enough just being married to one of them!

So when the day of my ultrasound came and the radiologist announced she was “85% sure it’s a girl”, I was overjoyed and relieved (although mentally bracing myself in case the other 15% occurred).  

My sister, who became pregnant about six months after I did, also shared the same concern.  She, however, did not fare as well.  We laugh at this now, but she cried a bit when her ultrasound revealed her first would be a boy.  Back then, however, our mutual fear of the unfamiliar world of boys was no laughing matter.

Thankfully, her little boy was a charmer, so much so that when I conceived again, I looked forward to the possibility of having a boy.  To this day, I am grateful that my sister was the family guinea pig and handled the task with such grace and humor that she made it seem effortless.  It also helped that my nephew was absolutely adorable and won my heart over the moment he arrived.

I am even more grateful for my son, who is, as I expected, totally different from his sister and mother.  Although he already baffles me at the ripe old age of four, he is also a delightful mix of humor, supersonic energy and cuteness.  These is just a partial list of the things I did not expect from having a boy: 

• I did not expect that he would be more affectionate than his sister—they are both quick to say, “I love you,” but he lingers for long cuddles, whereas my daughter prefers “drive-by” hugs.
• I did not expect that his bountiful energy would mean he would never tire of trying to make me laugh or impress me with new stunts.
• I did not expect that his gender-stereotypical obsessions would give me an excuse to indulge my inner tomboy and finally go to events like demolition derbies and monster truck rallies.
• I did not expect that he would unleash a whole new side to my typically straitlaced husband I had never seen before — a playful, wrestling, goofy side that finally brings my husband down to my level.

If you are in the same boat I was and the thought of raising a boy brings you more than a little trepidation, stop and take a deep breath, because you are about to embark on a marvelous and entertaining journey.  And because once he arrives, it will be awhile before you get to stop and catch your breath, so take all you can now.  Enjoy the ride!