Becoming a Boy Mom

 

Maybe it was first time mom nerves or maybe it was becoming a boy-mom, but from the moment I found out we were having a boy, I was nervous!  I didn’t have a brother or grow up around boys, so I was entering uncharted territory.  What are little boys like? How do you play with a little boy?  How do you raise a boy to be sweet and loving, yet still rough and tough?  Are there cute boy clothes and accessories out there?   This blog will give you a few tips and tricks to make the transition to boy mom just a little easier. 

It didn’t take long to discover that I didn’t need all the answers or a history that involved having a brother to succeed on this new adventure.  Our little guy was more then helpful (and patient) when it came to teaching me how to be a boy mom.  My first learning moment came seconds after he was born as he peed all over his nurse. 

Our little man peed every time his diaper came off.  Every time.  Quickly we purchased a pack of small washcloths and kept them at the changing table, as soon as the diaper would come off, we’d quickly cover his boy parts.  This kept mom and dad dry during diaper changes and helped keep the changing table from getting soaked. 

As he began showing interest in toys and was able to hold objects, we noticed he gravitated towards any toy with wheels.  It was at this point he also began making truck noises.  I didn’t teach him to make truck sounds this was either something in boy DNA or came from his daddy’s bloodline.  His interest in wheeled toys and his love of truck sounds led us to purchase Zig the Big Rig, by Fisher Price, for his 1^st birthday.  This was a great toy with lights and sounds that was easy for his little fingers to push around.  Three years from that 1^st birthday and Zig is still a favorite in our house. 

As we learned our son had an interest in all things truck, we purchased books that we thought he would enjoy, the Little Blue Truck series by Alice Schertle.  The 3 books revolved around the Little Blue Truck and the adventures he takes.  The books are available as a board book or paperback.  We chose board book so his little hands could look at it without damaging the pages.   Paisley still has those books on his shelf and occasionally asks us to read them.   

If someone told me that dressing a boy could be as fun as dressing a girl, I don’t know that I would have believed them…. until I had my own son to dress.  The little paper boy caps, bow ties, aviator glasses, and dressing him in Polo shirts just like his daddy are just a few ways I love dressing our son.  GAP Kids and Gymboree are just a few places that I found ridiculously cute boy clothes and items.

When it comes to activities with Paisley, when he was 18 months I started him in KinderMusik.  He loves playing music with various instruments and also loves to dance (if that’s what you want to call his humorous, not at all with the beat moves).  At 2 I had him in swim lessons but he seemed more hesitant then ready to learn.  And now at 4, we have him signed up for t-ball, but that’s a whole different blog post!  He likes to be busy and on the go, which I think, is a result of getting him active while he was very young. 

These days Paisley favors his dad when it comes to playing rough, tinkering in the garage, and running around outside.  When he’s tired, doesn’t feel good, or just needs to cuddle, he doesn’t hesitate to crawl into my lap and rest his head against me. While the nursery rhyme says little boys are made of frogs and snails and puppy dog tails, I think they come with a dash of sugar and spice as well.  

 Kara is the mom of the Lovely Lila (2) and Precocious Paisley (4), living in a cornfield in Indiana.  She is married to a wonderful blonde haired blue eyed guy she met on Myspace back in 2007. When she finds a free moment from raising her littles, she enjoys crafting, cooking, and blogging!  She blogs over at An Adventure Called Life so be sure to head over and say hello!