Boys

In the almost-two years I've had a boy, there are definite clues that raising boys is a whole different ballgame than raising girls. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that there are other moms out there who are discovering the same thing. I don't know, I'm just thinking...

So here are a few wise, astute, perceptive observations I've made, just to illustrate my hypothesis:

Girls walk.....Boys gallop (or jump, or saunter, or go limp, or dart)
Girls eat with a fork...Boys hold the fork in one hand and smash the food in their mouth with the other...
Girls color...Boys make marks
Girls talk...Boys yell...
Girls splash-splash in the bath...Boys dump the water out of the bath
Girls wipe their faces...Boys smear them...
Girls wear sunglasses...Boys break the arms off sunglasses
Girls count the steps they walk down....Boys bypass that by leaping over them
Girls pucker up and kiss...Boys slobber and drool kiss (some things never change)

But to counteract all of this, Boys...
...snuggle
...wrap their arms around your neck for the biggest squeeze ever
...are quick to say "sorry" (likely because they need this word more than anyone)
...say Thank You every time
...like to help in the kitchen (if it involves dry rice and spoons)
...bury their head in your shoulder and drink in a long smell (seriously, does it get any cuter than that?)

And a new motto I've claimed, although it is definitely not tried and true, and will not work every time...
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!"

He kept swiping the spray bottle we "train" the kitty with...finally I just set
him up at the sink and let him spray til his heart's content (which is never)...and
he proceeded to spray himself in the face for like 20 minutes...spray, spit, spray, spit...