The Comprehensive List: The Things I Couldn't Do Before I Had ...A Boy.

Ziggy Joy will be a year old soon...a year since I was waiting for him

Just about Exactly a Year ago...

This time of year is so bitter sweet for me, it's a big turning point in the year, after a busy summer full of adventures, change is in the air. The last few summers late August has me feeling pensive and a little sad, another wonderful summer of their childhood has turned the corner looking towards Autumn. The books are on the shelf waiting for our First Day of School, full of possibilities And yet the flowers are still in bloom and the weather is warm and waiting for Autumn's turn.

This too...

I can't believe how fast the year has flown his birth was so different and so...almost nonchalant in how he was so quickly with us...I mean the birth wasn't nonchalant, but his arrival almost felt that way. A hint of his personality perhaps.

His Birthday.

It is hard to believe he wasn't always part of our family. Over the past year I've gotten a lot to "finally got your boy!" comments, not a huge deal...I nod and chuckle and say "Oh well we sure do love him." But some times it bothers me too, I feel defensive for my daughters. Honestly the thought that a family is only complete when they have both genders is ridiculous. We were perfectly complete with our girls, but yes- we feel beyond blessed to have this Laughing Joy in our lives, he made us realize how much more our life could be. A part of our story was missing and has so much more to it than we imagined!

 He's almost a year old and I'm still waiting to see how different he is, I've gotten a lot of comments about that too. "Oh a BOY! Watch out!" or "Oh a boy, I have to tell you they are the sweetest. My girls were rough, but my boys were a dream."
 People like to make boxes. Again, nod and smile, whatever chit chat is what it is. He does have the easiest temperament of my babies. He is (so far) my best sleeper. He is chill. But my diet is really good, I've avoided foods that bothered my other babies. I think that lends to his personality as well: he's not living in constant pain.

So far he's exactly as different and unique as the others were. I've been trying to come up with a list of all the things I've gotten to experience now that I" finally have my boy" and it is shocking, you won't believe it.

 Here it is The Comprehensive List as a Mom of a Boy...

 1. Since he was born I may have uttered the words "cute" and "penis"in the same breath (just saying... TMI, Absolutely. But it's not some thing I ever thought before...I'm not alone on this one.).

 2. Use on average 2 more wipes per dirty diaper change there are more angles down there.

 3. Worry about somebody's penis health on a regular basis...is that rash okay? If I let some one new change his diaper are they informed on intact care or will they mess with his foreskin and cause adhesions and pain?

4. Use the word penis more than I ever thought necessary (and you're probably feeling that way too at this point...)

5. Kiss another person with male genitalia more than I kiss my husband (it's his cheeks, I can't help myself).

 

 There it is, 5 things I never thought I would experience. Does he like "boy stuff" more than the girls or seem wired differently? He does seem a bit more dirty some how, he seems to attract it and eat it more than I previously recall...Then again I didn't take the others as many places as I take him. And also their babyhood is a blur. I do recall Friendly licking things I couldn't believe she would lick, Ziggy seems to follow that trend. No stone, or disgusting colored patch of sidewalk goes unlicked. Healthy microbiome for the win!

 He just loves people, anything people related he locks in and needs to join in. The kids are all talking? He starts babbling as loudly as he can over them. As an introvert this does not bode well for my bubble...As a Mother? It is cute.

 He does tend to be very interested in loud noises and mechanical things, always points at planes overhead and has to stop and watch a noisy truck pass by. He already plays with cars a lot. But he also rocks baby dolls he finds and kisses them, loves to talk on the play phone, is super into books, is very gentle and mellow and empethetically connected with the people in our family.

He is definitely much larger than the girls were, he weights what they did at 2-2.5 years old (again my great diet and hearty appetite, I haven't restricted or tried to lose the baby weight this time)! And he's quite tall for his age, he also has hands almost as big as the 4 year olds (he's going to be a big handsome man some day, or just have abnormally large hands and feet and a sweet kind face ;)

He carries his own energy and reminds me of pieces of all of the others but he's his own person, with his own lessons to teach me and stretch me. I'm so thankful he is part of our world. I can't believe it's been just about a year since I finally looked into his eyes for the first time. I am so happy he is part of our world.