In Love with a Boy

I always knew I would love having a daughter. Being one of those females that was part girly-girl (loved pink, dressing up and Barbies) and part tomboy (loved climbing trees, playing superheros and watching football), I figured that I would be able to connect with my daughter no matter what she liked to do. Plus, there were cute dresses and unicorns and dollhouses that we'd get her!

But having a son? That made me a bit nervous. Not a lot nervous, because I have always loved hanging out with the guys. But a bit nervous because everyone said that they are full of energy, are so physical and not as emotionally sensitive as girls. After having my daughter who is full of energy and very physical, I became less nervous still. But it didn't change the fact that I wasn't sure just how I'd feel about having a boy.

I didn't realize was just how much I would love having a son.

I knew I would love him and that I would even enjoy raising a boy. But I just didn't know how much. Because I am loving it, and him, SO VERY MUCH!

My mom told me that having a boy is like having a little boyfriend. You've got this little guy to cuddle and kiss, a little man to go with you to the store or park or wherever, a guy who's face lights up when he sees you.

But I find I'm much more forgiving to my son that I would be to a boyfriend. For instance, I laugh when the Pookie sticks his hands down my shirt or nuzzles my breasts, even if we are around other people. That would not have been okay for a boyfriend. Or the fact that I think it's funny that he sticks his hands down his pants (except during teething phases when I know his hands will shortly be going in his mouth--that's when we make sure he's got a onsie on). The only other time I thought that was funny was when Al Bundy would do it on Married with Children.

Although my little guy LOVES my breasts and thinks nothing of sticking his hands in his diaper, I think the world of him. And to put modesty aside, I know he thinks the world of me. Without my doing anything specific (or perhaps it's more honest to say doing anything different from what I did with the Pumpkin), the Pookie is a mama's boy. And I'm loving every second of it!

Question of the Week - Birthday Party Themes

Well, I didn't mean to disappear for a week. Sorry about that. Work is just crazy busy right now. In the little spare time I had from work, kids and sleep, I spent reading books.

Between the two books for my two book clubs this month, I tried to slip in another book. I wanted it to be one I'd already bought, heard good things about and had been waiting to read. My mistake was trying to slip in book 1 of a trilogy. I loved The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, so much that I immediately had to read the next two books (Catching Fire and Mockingjay)! Though I read them fast, I still had to finish my next book club book, which was another amazing book called The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton.

So basically I've spent every spare second with my nose glued to my Nook. (I love my Nook!)

The biggest problem I'm now having isn't even catching up on all the wonderful blogs I read or even writing down the millions of things I want to post about. It's planning my daughter's 4th birthday party.

In a little less than 2 weeks, we will be having her birthday party at our house. It will be a family party, so no huge event planning is needed. But we have had the hardest time coming up with a theme. Last year, we did an Arts and Crafts Party, and it was really awesome. I want to come up with something as fun and cool as that. I think I finally might have a good one, but I need to run it by Londo before announcing.

So I've spent a lot of time lately thinking back to the party themes I had for my birthdays growing up. Which brings us to this week's Question of the Week:

What were some of the best themes you had for your birthday parties growing up?

I have a July birthday, so I had a pool party at least one year. I also had a roller skating party. One year my brother and sister took a clown class and came to my party as clowns, which was so fun. But I think my favorite theme was a costume party, which I did for at least two birthdays. (Is it any surprise that I love throwing Halloween parties?)

What about you guys? Weren't parties different back when we were young? What themes did you have at your parties? What was your favorite birthday party?

Pills

these two to supplement the sun
and two of these to keep me sane
this small one to boost my energy
two bigger ones to help my brain
one of these for my general health
occasionally these for aches and pain
a handful to swallow until the spring
then next fall it starts over again

Question of the Week - That's Not a Kids' Song

I've always loved to sing. I was in chorus in high school, and I even made the chambers singers group. I took voice lessons through high school and college. And over the years, I was asked many times if I wanted to be a professional singer. Not only was I honest with myself about not being at that level, but I knew that even if I was good enough (which again, I wasn't) I wouldn't want the life of a professional singer. But when I said no, then people would want to know why I kept up with taking lessons. Aside from the joy of singing learning new songs and techniques, my answer was always that I just want to be able to sing pretty lullabies to my future children.

Now that I am a mother, I do indeed sing my babies to sleep. I spent years singing the Pumpkin to sleep, and occasionally still do. I sing the Pookie to sleep every time I put him to bed or down for a nap. If you think about it, that's a LOT of songs. A LOT of the same songs. Over and over and over again.

I have to admit, I get tired of the same old songs again and again. Don't get me wrong, I love the lullabies and even kids' songs. I sing a lot of Rockabye Baby and Twinkle Twinkle and Frere Jacque. But I've got to stay sane, so I also sing some of my favorite jazz and blues standards and some rock songs too.

I remember reading in Jenny McCarthy's book Baby Laughs that she didn't really know any lullabies or kids songs, so she would sing Brittany Spears (I think it was Baby One More Time). And when The Office had that episode with Jan bringing in her baby and she sang Son of a Preacher Man, I didn't think it was really inappropriate of her to sing that to the newborn. After all, at a certain point you've got to sing what you like or you're going to hate singing.

So this week's Question of the Week is:

What song have you sung/do you sing to your kids that borders on or flat out is inappropriate?

This past summer, right after I weaned, I was craving margaritas. In fact, I was walking my son and bouncing him, trying to get him to sleep for his nap, thinking about a nice, cold margarita with salt on the rim of the glass... and I started singing Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. And wouldn't you know it? The boy calmed down and fell to sleep. He really liked the tune, and I imagine he will become a Parrothead like his daddy was.

And Margaritaville isn't that bad, right? I mean, it's not like it's Let's Get Drunk and Screw!

What about you? Do you sing to your kids? What adult songs to you sing, knowing they don't understand the words? What do you sing or listen to to keep you sane at bedtime?

Oh, The Drama!

A few weeks ago, the Pumpkin's school sent home a flier for the after-school classes they were going to offer. I'd just been thinking about signing her up for some classes, but timing is such an issue with Londo and I working full time outside the house. So classes right there at her school while she is there for after-hours care anyway? Sign us up!

There were two classes available for her age, Art Class and Drama Class. At the moment, we are (still) totally strapped for moolah, so we could only sign her up for one class at her school (I had already told her I would sign her up for dance classes, and that's outside of her school). I believe both Londo and I were ready to just sign her up for the Art Class, knowing how much she always has loved art. But I had the thought that we should offer her both and let her pick.

I told her that her school was offering Art Class or Drama Class, and she could pick one. She asked what drama was, and when I explained that it was pretend play where you could pretend to be other people and dress up and sometimes sign and dance... well it was like rainbows and unicorns and roses were falling into her lap!

With a voice full of excitment and wonder, she immediately said, "Drama!"

I responded, "Really? You want to take Drama and not Art?"

"Yes," she said, emphatically. "Drama!"

Even though it seems like an obvious fit for her now, at the time Londo and I both had really assumed she'd want to do art. So we were surprised. Not just at her answer, but her assuredness in her answer about this new thing. And she was sure. Londo doubled checked next, and she held strong with her answer of "Drama!" I asked one more time before we filled in the paperwork and wrote the check. "Drama!"

Once we thought about it, it made so much sense. The Pumpkin is highly energetic, loves to be the center of attention, and is very dramatic in pretty much everything she does. The girl is a Drama Girl. She enjoys dressing up, and she especially loves playing pretend. She has an incredible imagination, and she is really good at making up scenarios with imaginary friends from TV shows (we've had Dora, Boots and Benny over for tea many times, and lately the Animal Mechanicals Rex and Sasquatch have been playing with us). She loves to sing and dance. And watch out if you give that girl a microphone!

She had the first Drama Class last Friday, and she said it was lots of fun. They apparently ran around in a circle a lot doing different movements. She said they galloped, and I'm guessing they pretended to be a horse or something like that. One class in, and she's loving it.

Coincidentally, my sister's daughter's 5th birthday party last Saturday was at the local theater watching a children's play. It was an hour long musical called Click Clack Moo, based on the children's book of the same name. Although the Pumpkin was a bit upset when I explained that we would just be sitting in the audience, not actually doing the drama, she was still excited to go.

She sat through the whole thing fascinated. I was quite impressed that through the show she didn't fidget much, didn't get up at all, didn't really talk, laughed at the funny parts, and really followed what was going on. It was a lot of fun to be able to go to the theater with her and watch a play together. I feel like a whole new world is opening up to us for fun things to do together.

And in the spring? She will be part of the play that her Drama Class is going to put on! I keep imagining the fun we will have going to plays with our Drama Girl!