My boy is seven today.
I can’t believe it. That sounds SO grown up.
How can I recall every moment of his delivery with such detail and it be seven years ago!?
We have been amazed and enchanted by him since the day he was born.
His intensity and deepness showed up from the moment he arrived.
He is a deep little man. Always has been.
As much as he can totally infruriate us, he humbles us with his big heart and deep deep thoughts.
Sending him out into the ‘real’ world has been my biggest fear and heartache. I want to protect him from all the meaness in the world. I hate seeing him sad and or defeated. I want to scream and hit everyone who hurts his heart.
His empathy has melted us and many others throughout his short time here. He loves to read and help the little girl he sits with in class. She has Downs.
He constantly helps out the quadraplegic girl in his class too.
He loves entertaining younger kids and babies.
I find him struggling the most with his peers. Mainly because we have treated him as ‘older’ somehow always. His deepness causes us to forget just how young he is.
I see him somewhat baffled by how the kids his own age act. He prefers ‘hanging’ with the older kids in school and in the neighbourhod.
I suppose it doesn’t help when he is the child of two socially awkward geeks either.
The girls…of all ages seem to think he is cute!
Adam is very special to me. Not just because he is my one and only boy. He just always feels like my little miracle. For no other reason than his very existence.
Life changed when he arrived and has been better for it.
I have never felt more fulfilled than when I became a parent of my little boy.
His love, affection, humour and all the other more annoying quirks have made life worth living.
Not just for me, but I know his dad feels the same, as does family and friends that have met him.
It was amazing to watch him read his own birthday card this morning. He cried because I signed it from mummy.
My boy.
I love you.
I want all the people out there who express negativity or disappointment about having boys to understand how wonderful boys really are.
I would love a world that banished all the gender stereotypes and just see children for who they are and who they can be.
Of course boys and girls are different….different …..not bad or worse than girls.
I hear some women fear not having a close relationship with their boys as they grow. They assume that they would be closer to their daughters.
I really don’t know about that at all.
My Aunt is the mother to two grown boys who adore her. They still enjoy hanging with their folks and share their lives and troubles with their mom.
My cousin in Scotland has FOUR boys..men now. All with children of their own. They adore their mom.
I am close to my mom. But we ‘grew up’ together in special circumstances.
Caitlyn is very different from me. I love her, of course….but our personalities are polar opposites.
Our children are not clones of us.
We have to raise them for the unique individuals that they are. We can’t mirror ourselves in them nor judge them against our own characters.
Our job is to make them the best humans they can be and send them out in the world…hopefully to make positive changes in their own way in their own world.
Shannon says
A part of me was worried when I found out our second child would be a boy. I had expected another girl for no real reason. I felt more comfortable with girls as I had sisters and a close relationship with my mom. I wasn’t close to my dad. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to have a close relationship with my son – or that I’d get a really rough and aggressive boy that I wouldn’t know how to deal with or would be put off by. In the end, by nature or nurture, my son is a beautiful, smart, curious, sensitive boy who I love dearly. As dearly as my daughter! It was mostly my ignorance that caused my fear.
Amber says
Happy birthday Adam!
I was terrified to have a daughter, because of the prospect of raising an adolescent girl. I was terrified to have a son because I knew nothing about boys. You know what? They’re both great kids, for different reasons. And none of those reasons have anything to do with their gender.
Although, girl’s clothes are much cuter. Much.
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Crunchy Carpets says
I think teen girls get as bad a rap as little boys do…
I was a trouble free teen. So were most of my friends and family…
I firmly believe that negative expectations can drive our kids to be the WORST they can be just because we ASSUME they will be.
followthatdog says
What a sweet post. As a mother of two boys I also cringe when I hear people spout those stereotypes of what it means to have boys.
followthatdogs last blog post..It’s just a song, no need for deep analysis
Eden Spodek says
As a mother of two boys, this post struck an emotional chord with me too.
I grew up in a household of women and wondered what I’d do with a son. Well since my parenting journey began more than 14 years ago, I would wouldn’t have it any other way.
I can’t tell you how many times I still have people asking me if we’re going to try for a girl – including the doctor who delivered my younger son. My kids are 14 and 10.5, the answer is “NO”! My husband and I were never concerned with whether or not we had sons or daughters – we’d love them both the same.
The four of us have a close and loving relationship, with lots of laughs along the way.
Your must be very proud of your son. He sounds like a beautiful person inside and out.
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Emily says
Awww you made me cry. He sounds like a truly wonderful boy! Happy birthday Adam!
patois says
I don’t know anyone personally who has ever expressed disappointment with having a boy. Boys are simply fabulous. And your boy proves it.
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Scotch Straight Up says
Well said! Happy birthday.
Scotch Straight Ups last blog post..Living. In The Sun
Karen MEG says
This was such a beautiful post…your son is such an amazing young boy, in fact he sounds a lot like mine (who just turned NINE! What happened there?!!). Most people think he’s older not just because of his height and stature as he’s friends with older boys some in grade 6 who are the same size as he is, but also because of the things he says, the way he thinks. And I’m lucky because he has such an attachment to me, always asking after me, asking how I am and ready for a hug. I LOVE that.
But I loved the way you rounded out your post about the importance of raising the kids as individuals. So very important.
You’re a great mom, BTW. I stopped by via Mr Lady’s and am enjoying your blog. Hope you’re feeling well.
Karen MEGs last blog post..Weekly Winners -I can’t work this thing
Jeanne Elle says
Aw, what a sweet post. I adore my boy!!! He is completely and utterly precious to me, and I can’t start my day without one of his huge hugs.
I had my daughter first, and when I became pregnant again I wasn’t sure what to expect because I couldn’t imagine loving another child as much as I love my daughter. Then along came my son, and my heart simply doubled in size. I can’t imagine my life without either one of them 🙂
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Not a Housewife says
Oh, he’s so sweet!
So you are one who will understand if I smack the next person at the grocery store who looks at my little boys and asks if I’m going to “try for a girl.” And don’t get me started on the stereotyping… Grr….
Not a Housewifes last blog post..When Love Turns to Guilt