May 31, 2007

Boys Will Be Boys

I’m the mom of four kids; one girl (Oh, thank you God) and three boys. I understand my daughter. I get it! She cries easily, craves chocolate, and her whole world can fall apart if her favorite shirt isn’t clean. We have an unspoken estrogen bond that my husband just can’t figure out. But, my boys, they can be aliens to me.

I often wonder why a girly-girl like me, who grew up with one sister and a female dog, would be given 3 sons to raise. I know nothing about these feisty, dirty, fart-filled creatures and I’m often watching them with mouth agape, scratching my head in wonder.

But the one thing that fascinates me most is their pure and total love of their man parts. The littler ones (3 and 6 years) show them off with pride, strutting through the house swinging them around like they are elephant trunks. They stretch on them, yank on them, and squish them into odd shapes when they are in the bathtub. They dig holes through the crotch of their pajama pants just so they can get to them at night. And they periodically check on them through the day just to make sure they are still there. They get shifted and adjusted and inspected at will and with no regard to who might be watching. They are a constant source of entertainment, competition, comfort, awe and male bonding.

And not a day goes by that I’m not asked to exclaim over their wonder. I must join in this worship, giving encouragement about size and pee-distance. And it leaves my head spinning that these boys love their parts like my daughter used to love her dolls; cradling them, grooming them, making up songs to sing to them.

I’m not sure I will ever understand this. Thank God for their Daddy who does.

16 comments:

Cindy-Still His Girl said...

Hmmm... maybe now I know why God only gave me girls. I'd be sure to mess boys up pyschologically by not understanding the need to cheer on and give encouragement in pee distances and the like. More power to you, sister!

I'm glad you shared that this fascination is primarily with the younger boys since I'm seriously considering your suggestion of an arranged marriage. ;)

Fiddledeedee said...

That's funny! God certainly hard wired us so very differently, didn't he? My 2 year old boy recently discovered his "gift". After two girls, I'm going to experience some eye openers, I'm sure.

Halfmoon Girl said...

That is so funny - I find the same thing with my three. When my 1 year old is having a longer than usual nap, I know that he has found a way to dig in his diaper and is having play time. Good grief. I don't understand, but I think it is all normal.

Melissa Stover said...

that's hilarious! my little boy is just beginning to show some of those traits.

Anonymous said...

Ahh yes - I am there with you - I have 1 girl and 3 boys also! My girl is the oldest and I am so thankful!
Just too funny!
Mandi

Anonymous said...

I hear ya! I am forever saying, "get your hands out of your pants". My friend who is about to have her 4th boy-no girls yet calls it there bulit in action
figure.
:>Michelle

Alida Sharp said...

the joy of life with boys! I have two... well three if you count my husband!

EE said...

Yeah...what's up with that?

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed Barbs talk at the homeschool convention. It was so encouraging. Neat lady, lots of wisdom.
Susan

Cindy-Still His Girl said...

Where, o where are you? Hope all is well. Miss seeing/reading you! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh do I hear you! I am a mom of four boys, who is in the middle of potty training my youngest. I potty train them by having them sit backwards on the toilet and pee into it. My two year old now loves to go sit on the potty so he can grab his penis and yell at his pee to come out! I have tried to convince him that his pee is more likely to come out if he leaves it alone. Boy am I thankful that he has a dad! Sometimes I am way out of my realm!

Shari

Anonymous said...

Ok good. So we arent the only ones who have a son who plays, grabs, and mushes his pecker. We just keep telling him that it will fall off.

"My two year old now loves to go sit on the potty so he can grab his penis and yell at his pee to come out!" (previous commenter)

Shari, thats hysterical. I laughed out loud at that.

Anonymous said...

As a "still-relatively-new" parent, who grew up with only one sister and no boys, I'm finding my son's endless comments and admiration of his body very amusing. Our discussions about his anatomy have become more frequent lately because of both his potty training and his bathtime with his little sister (Debi). So, out of curiosity, I stupidly asked my husband, "Are all little boys this preoccupied with their penises?" And he didn't even miss a beat when he said, "Until they die!"

So, here are some discussions I've had with my son, CJ recently:

In the bathtub with his sister: "Mommy, Debi sad." Me: "Debi's not sad. Why would Debi be sad?" CJ: "Debi ha no penis! Debi sad!" Me: "CJ, Debi's not sad. Debi is a girl and you are a boy. A boy has a penis and a girl has a vagina." CJ: "Daddy ha a penis." Me: "Daddy & CJ are boys so, you both have a penis. Mommy & Debi are girls so, we both have a vagina." CJ, looking shocked: "Mommy don ha no penis???!" Me: "No CJ, Mommy is a girl." He pauses.. then looks at me almost crying, pats my shoulder and says: "Don be sad Mommy. You be okay!"

CJ is sitting on the potty chair, reading a book: "Mommy, penis is sad! Penis can't go pee-pee in da potty chair." Me: "Tell penis not to be sad. You'll go pee-pee in the potty chair soon." CJ: "Mommy, penis is happy now! Penis is soooo happy now! Say HI to penis, Mommy." I try to ignore him. CJ: "Mommy! Say HI to penis!" I look to see if my husband is within earshot and when I see he's not, I say: "Hi, penis!" CJ then, waves his penis at me and in a high-pitch voice he says: "Hi, Mommy!!!" I couldn't hold back my laughter so, I had to leave the room!

I was helping CJ play with playdoh for the first time. I cut out a gingerbread man with a cookie cutter, made him eyes, a nose and a mouth, then told him that I just made CJ! CJ says: "Dat no CJ! Dat Debi!!!" Curious, I asked: "Why? Doesn't that look like CJ?" He said: "Dat got no penis! Dat Debi!" I didn't know what to say so, I just said: "Oh." Then he got excited and said: "I got idea!" He takes the nose off and puts it between the legs and says, "Dat better!!!"

Anonymous said...

Hilarious!

Boys are wonderful, aren't they?!

Anonymous said...

Hahahahah! Isn't it weird that all of that comes naturally to them? Sigh...this is only the beginning!

Great post!

Anonymous said...

My 7 year old came in my home office the other day with an erection. He said, "Look mom, my penis is hard!" When I asked him if he had been touching it, he said, "No". He then told me he had a trick he could do with his penis and proceeded to move it up and down by moving his muscles. He thought this was great! What's a mom to say? I just agreed that it was pretty cool, talked to him about his penis being a muscle and encouraged him to take it into the bathroom.

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