Let's Hear it for the Boy

15 years ago God graced me with the most perfect gift ever...my son...

Today he turns 15...and it totally freaks me out.

I am asking myself all the cliche questions...

"Where did the time go?"

"How did he get so big?"

"How do I have a child who can DRIVE?' (learner's permit)

"Why is my toddler now a man?"

I will fully and readily admit (because I have witnesses to this) that...

I DID NOT WANT A BOY

I cried to some friends after my ultrasound that I was so unhappy I was having a boy...I liked girl things and girl stuff and not boy clothes and boy stuff...and...sports...

But I got over it in about a day and decided that my ex be damned (we were married at the time) that my boy was still going to wear sweet clothes and smocked little outfits...

And he did...

I had a fairly easy time with his labor.  Ke$ha Barbie took her own sweet time (it was an indicator of things to come) but he decided he was hungry and wanted out.

He was born at 1:43 in the afternoon...I do remember being slightly perturbed that his arrival was interrupting the end of "The Bold and the Beautiful" and that "As the World Turns" was going to be out of the question.

He was blasted out by a fair amount of Pitocin and a lot of pushing from his mother.

My OB, who is a friend of mine, spent the entire delivery dissecting the gowns worn by the actresses at the previous night's Oscar ceremony.  We voted Kim Basinger "worst dressed".  I am pretty sure it was the year of Titanic...

She placed him on my stomach and he proceeded to try and drag himself up my body to my breast.

My OB encouraged me to nurse him ...so I did...he was a hungry little baby...(it was an indicator of things to come).

Although I had an easy delivery with him, he was not an easy baby.  His sister was an easy baby...The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW) was not...

He only really liked me...

He hated hated hated car rides and that car seat basket thing...

And he had an ear infection every 3 weeks.

He was a miserable baby.

His father was not sure he was entirely fond of him.  I'm not sure I blamed him.

But once we got the ear tubes put in he was a different child...a happy sweet baby boy.

The screaming in the car was unnerving.  The only thing that seemed to calm him was for his sister to sing "Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks to him.  I'm not kidding...

My mother bought him a new car seat and that seemed to help.  I think it was the angle that the other one sat him in...with all of the ear infections I think it put pressure on his ears...

One night I had a meeting and Ke$ha Barbie and TCBITW were under the care of their father.  I think my son was about 3-5 months old.

My ex was giving them a bath together.  He LEFT THE SIDE OF THE TUB TO GO AND ANSWER THE PHONE.

When he came back my son had slipped under the water...he was laying face up with 5 inches of water over him and Ke$ha Barbie happily splashing away (she was 5...and she swears that even though at that time she considered him to be her mortal enemy she did not wish him to drown).

His father scooped him up (he was under about 10 seconds maybe) and he was fine.

I still remind my ex of that at times...but only in a joking way...it would be hurtful to do so otherwise.

My ex had planned to keep it quiet...along with my mother as she was who was on the phone...but Ke$ha Barbie informed me of it the second I got home.

I got over it...and I got over the clothes stuff and the sports stuff too...

I love watching my son participate in any sport...I am sad he is no longer playing lacrosse because I really love watching it...and I have found my love for wrestling and I tolerate football (but if he gets another concussion he is DONE).

I could blog endlessly about how amazing and awesome I think my son (and daughter) are but who wants to read that?

I will tell you that he is smart, he is wise, he is handsome, he is funny, he is charming, and he is a total and complete nerd and I am just fine with it.

The only thing about him I would change is his addiction to Xbox...and maybe the way he enjoys passing gas in my car...

The Xbox thing is unnerving at times...he plays with a headset on and says the craziest things out loud...it's like he has Tourette's or something...

I think my favorite thing he ever said was:

"Don't kiss me, Mom! I'm trying to assassinate people here!"

I hope this is not an indication of things to come....

When he was little he had a thing about sleeves...and he still does...he can't stand to have long sleeves on.  When he was a toddler he would wave his arms around and say "I don't "wike" weeves" (I don't like sleeves).

He could most often be found with only one shoe on.  Or just one sock.  I have an awesome picture of that from my friend DivineDana.  Our sons were the best of friends and I have some truly amazing photos thanks to her photography skills.  Awesome pictures that will make excellent blackmail through the years.  My son loved and still loves her, her son, and her husband...and I am pretty sure he thinks that their daughter is gorgeous but he won't admit it because "ewww gross that is my friend's SISTER!"

His sister tortured him endlessly.  She used to claim he completely ruined his life.

I am happy to say they love each other now but for a while there I was pretty sure one of them was going to kill the other.

I'm not so sure she still isn't trying to kill him because she informed me she bought him (dead) grenades for his birthday at some Army/Navy surplus store.  She keeps assuring me they are harmless...and I am pretty sure he will love them.

Right now he wants an assault rifle more than anything in this world.  I think he has earned the undying love of my friend RoyBoy for that one...I told him that the only gun I was planning to purchase was a small handgun painted "Tiffany Blue"...that is much more me than an assault rifle...

He's not perfect but he comes close.

When I look at him I am filled with joy...it's like he's a Disney Movie or something...

he walks into a room and woodland creatures begin to come out, music plays, rainbows and flowers bloom, and the sun shines...

all because he walked into the room...

Every.Single.Time.

He has the most beautiful blue eyes.

He has one dimple (just like me)...I say it is where the angels kissed him before sending him down to me.

He hates vegetables (even though I craved only veggies when I was pregnant...maybe that was an indicator of things to come?)

He has blonde hair that gets so bleached out during the summer I call him "Q-tip"

He has always had a deep voice...

He's strong as an ox...but sweet and soft and sensitive...

He will make some woman a very lucky wife and he will be a wonderful father...I just pray that is decades or at least many many years away...

God knew what he was doing when he gave me a son...he gave me such a treasure...and I am so lucky to be his mother.

Inspiration Song: "Let's Hear it for the Boy" by Deniece Williams...from the "Footloose" soundtrack...you know when Ren teaches Willard how to dance...

Bye Darlings...let's hear it for my boy...he is 15 today...and let's hear it for all the boys (and girls) that God has blessed us with...