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Yes, I know I have been a slacker lately and have not kept up as much as I would like with my blog, but gosh darn it, I am trying to get better. There is now a new feature which allows you to follow my blog and post it on-site - simply look to the side and click on "Follow this Blog". I would love to see you!

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

When Classic Old Spice and I met, I immediately knew he was "it" - he was the "one" and I began to fantasize about our wedding and the adorable children we would create before the Chicken Picatta was even served. Since he is a dentist and works with all women and was raised by a single mom, we laughed about the fact that we would very likely have all girls and he would continue to be the lone soldier in a female-dominated world. Truth be told, I was secretly thrilled with the thought of this - I love little girls. I love pink, princesses, Tinkerbell nailpolish, tea parties, dress-up games, glitter lip gloss, and pigtails. Since I was a little girl, I have wanted a sister and dreamed of having all girls that would forever be there for each other - what could be better than built-in best friends? When I became pregnant with our first child, I couldn't wait until the ultrasound to confirm my dream of a pink-dominated world and lo and behold, on September 20, 2004 our ultrasound technician confirmed that we could indeed decorate a pink nursery. It was happening - Classic Old Spice WAS going to be the lone soldier and I could begin shopping for girl clothes with reckless abandon because ALL of our little girls would be able to wear the cute frocks I was spending way too much money on. After Missy Moo arrived, I was unsure I would ever have another child again as she was unbelievably colic and I was so unbelivably tired to the point that I thought I really just might die. Of course, we moved through that stage and she soon became the joy she continues to be to this day (well, for the most part...:)) We forgot about the difficulty of the newborn phase (I am pretty sure this selective amnesia is God's way of ensuring we will adequately continue the human race) and began to discuss trying for the second when Missy Moo was 18 months old. Much to the dismay of my husband who will forever bemoan the fact that he never got the "luxury" of having to try to conceive, we scored a goal after the first try and I found myself pregnant. Since I had pretty much planned on having all girls and was certain this was going to be our fate (I mean, really...Looking back on this, what was I thinking? Who am I to think I could actually predict this?!) I assumed our second would be another bundle of sugar and spice and everything nice. As with the first, I looked forward to our ultrasound to confirm this and couldn't wait for Missy Moo to have a little baby sister...Of course, you probably know where this is going - when the ultrasound technician revealed I was carrying a baby boy, I was dumbfounded. What on EARTH was I going to do with a BOY of all things? I was a former elementary teacher and while the boys in my class could melt my heart like you wouldn't believe, they made me tired. Really tired. They were OH so active and truthfully, just never stopped. They were forever falling over in their chairs and well, just wiggling. They wiggled all of the time - it was a constant state of perpetual motion and good Lord - they were loud. Very loud. Not that the little girls were not, but for the most part, all you had to do with a little girl was either raise an eyebrow or give a gentle reminder to get back on-track and you were pretty much back in business. Not so with little boys. I spent the rest of my pregnancy constantly reminding myself that I was going to actually have a SON. I was going to be responsible for raising a little boy and truthfully, terrified at the thought. What would I ever do with a boy? Imagine my pleasant surprise when I realized that, just as I had felt with Missy Moo, I would literally die for this little bundle the second he was born. I loved him with a depth of my soul that only another mother could even remotely understand. His dimples melted me and now, as a toddler, they still do. His eyes are so dark they look black, his lashes so long he looks like he is wearing the best mascara on the market, and of course, those darn dimples. Oh the dimples... Before I had a little boy, I never understood why reinforced knees in pants would be a good thing. I never realized that couches were for climbing and bookshelves for scaling. I never knew their unique ability to let out Tarzan-like cries when excited and I never stressed about what to do when he started to hit everyone in sight. I never had a Matchbox car in my house nor a tractor or a Dumpy the Dump Truck book. I never had purchased a pair of Osh-Kosh overalls and I had never had to be sure that I cleaned around the top ring when I did a diaper change (mommmy's of boys know what I mean!). I never had to take Missy Moo outside and literally make her run down the sidewalk to get her "wiggles" out but of course, this is a daily occurence now that Bubba Boo is 18 months. I never knew about the Island of Sodor or that Emily was the lone female among Thomas and his friends. Sir Topham Hat sounded more like someone I might have seen at a Phish concert from days of long ago rather than the man who runs the trains on the Island. Before I had boys, I did not realize that they ate all of the time. It seems as soon as I finish with breakfast, it is time for snack, then after snack, it is time for lunch and so on...I did not know that I would fall for him in a way that makes me want to just stare at him while he sleeps, kiss him so much that he sometimes wiggles away from me, and actually makes me WANT to buy boy clothes. He is my child and as with Missy Moo, I would die for him. I would put my own needs aside so that they could flourish and grow into healthy beings. I loved him instantly even though he was not clothed in pink. When I unexpectedly became pregnant last fall, I had it all planned again. Her name would be Susannah Evelyn and three years would be a perfect amount of time between sisters. I could FINALLY see all of those cute clothes I had once put on Missy Moo again! You would think I would have learned as our last baby, of course, was another baby in blue. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. Though I will be insane from having two boys 15 months apart, I will be able to keep my sense of humor in check and myself young. I will have my Missy Moo to clothe in pink and paint fingernails with. I will be her mommy but I will also do the best I can to be her sister, too, without being too much of a friend. The boys, well, let them be boys. I love them for it already.