Boy, Oh Boy!

Someone recently asked me if, in my years as a nanny, I've worked with more boys or more girls. And I thought about it for a moment before I realized: I've never worked with a girl.

"Wow," I said. "I better have boys when I have my kids - I'd have no idea what to do with a girl!"

I have experience with boys ranging pretty much from infancy to age 6, but other than my brief stint at the preschool, I've never worked with little girls. I can't remember the last time I changed a little girl's diaper, the last time I took a little girl to the park, the last time I helped potty train a little girl. All my experience is with little boys.

So what has all that experience with the little XY's taught me? Well...

- Boys won't want to do anything unless you present it as the lesser of two evils. ("Would you rather go to the dentist or stay locked in this dark closet with this angry beaver?")

- Boys like to climb. A lot. Don't take your eyes off them for an instant, lest you find them at the top shelf of the kitchen cabinets juggling glass vases.

- Protect your abdomen at all times - your back can sustain much greater abuse than your uterus can. And it will sustain abuse.

- Whether or not their outfits match is significantly less important than whether or not their outfits are washable.

- Once you introduce the word "gun" to their vocabulary, it won't go away. EVER.

- Toes are fascinating. But they're not quite as fascinating as a penis.

- When potty training a boy, make sure they know that the penis has to be pointing towards the toilet bowl for any pee to make it in the potty. If it's pointing up, pee goes ALL over the bathroom.

- Boys sustain injuries. Most of the time, they aren't that bad, so don't freak out. Bumps and bruises happen, but they also go away.

What I have not learned, however, is that boys are in any less emotionally complete than girls. I have shared such beautiful moments with my little boys, and never have I believed them to be hard-hearted in any way. The hugs are perhaps even more special for coming after an enthusiastic wrestling match.

So here's to you, Julie, and your impending doom coming blessing in the form of a beautiful baby boy. Never doubt that while the challenges are different, the rewards are no less.

------------------------------------

This post is a part of Julie's special online baby shower, hosted by Kristen and Cathy. If you'd like to share some of your baby-boy-wisdom with the internet, grab a button and join the fun. Hey, a baby shower without stupid diaper games? Awesome!