(After reading this post for myself, and receiving a comment from Debbie, it might lead one to believe that I have a pregnancy announcement or something like that. No way. Just bragging on Jacob. That's all)
One of the greatest blessings in my life is the gift of having both a boy and a girl. I feel as though we get to experience a dimension that many of our same-gender-children friends do not get to walk through. I love having a boy and I love having a girl.
BUT... there is a revelation that I had a few years ago that changed me profoundly. I realized boys really need brothers. They really need that other male interaction, power struggles, wrestling and the macho (in a boy way) one-ups. One of the best "manuals" that I have after the Bible is a book called Wild At Heart. It is about what boys and men need to be men. If you have a husband or a son, GET THIS BOOK and understand them in a whole new way.
Girls... not so much. I can see Sarah being an only girl in a house full of boys but Jacob, he needs brothers. He would not like being an only boy with several sisters. He needs dudes, friends to get into innocent trouble with, Lenny to consistently lead him into adventure.
Having a boy in my life, mothering a man in training has been an experience that has taken a lot of patience, much understanding and careful words. While I believe that all children take our words to heart, I know that for Jacob, it can be detrimental or affirming to his ego.
He is all boy. He is dirty, he jumps off of roofs, he sticks his pocketknife in outlets, he shoots everyone with his just-fabricated gun, he never stops moving, he has more energy that Edison, he sweats, he stinks, he picks his nose, he cries, he laughs, he shouts, he whispers, he shuns me in public, he snuggles me in private. He is completely jump-in-with-both-feet crazy. He is a mini Lenny. 
Everything he does, he does it with zest, exhuberance and life! He just got braces put on and has been testing the magnetism. He just took my magnet clasped bracelet and found that it sticks to his teeth! 
He is the sweetest boy I know. He is going to be 10 in just two weeks. I can not believe that God would trust me, a pitiful mother with so many shortcomings, with this amazing boy. I love him so much that my chest aches with a love so deep.
4 comments:
I was expecting a pregnancy announcement at end!! "I'm pregnant with a boy!" Seriously.... :o)
I love the braces! And I love the experiments even more. I am grateful for this reminder this morning too, while in the midst of my oldest son terrorizing his brother (his beloved playmate?)
And I agree, Jacob is awesome!
I know just how you feel!!! You've expressed it so well in you blog...I had tears reading it...thanks for that...you've reminded me how lucky I am!!!
Great post mama! Hes too cute! I loe he is ALL boy. Cherish it while hes still at home trying to drive you crazy! ;) Girls are entirely different but I will say I think my girls have a bit of "boy" in them.
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