Whenever I go shopping with B, inevitably he ends up making some sort of mess in the clothing departments. I’m assured by many other moms that this is normal, but I still get a little red in the face when I see, and hear, my son pulling down clothes off shelves or grabbing at the shirts on hangers as we pass by. It’s mortifying..and admittedly hilarious, but mostly mortifying.
The other day, Auntie Koko (my sister, who has the coolest aunt nickname) accompanied me and B to the store to do some shopping for an upcoming trip; I was operating off the notion “there’s power in numbers.” We got about halfway through our shopping trip before Auntie had to run to the dressing room to try on a few things. So, B and I made our way to the kid section, hoping to find some toys or fellow toddlers to distract him for a few minutes.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t toys or toddlers that kept him entertained, but the hangers, shelves, and racks that held all the (previously) perfectly folded and hung clothes. About ten minutes into my Tasmanian devil’s spat through the kids department, a woman came down the same aisle as us. Thankfully, B is much more social than he is tactile, so he donned a big smile and said, “hi!”
She smiled, said some simple small talk, and once B was no longer the center of the conversation, he was back off to the sale racks.
“He’s quite active!”
“Yeah, ever since he learned to walk he’s just been going and going.”
“Yep, that’s boys for you. I grew up with three brothers. They were always into something. That’s why my husband and I were so thankful we had girls--you know what they say, snails and puppy dog tails, noises with dirt. It’s all true! But he’s so cute--that must make it easier.”
I don’t know about any of you still with me here, but this woman’s comment rubbed me the wrong way. Honestly, I know where the offense comes from. Once Chris and I found out we were having a boy, I immediately went in search of cute boy things to decorate his nursery with on Pinterest. And what I found was not only scarce but often unoriginal and inaccurate.
Two of the most popular pins for the search “Boys Nursery Decoration” are the following quotes:
“Frogs, snails, and puppy dog tails, that’s what little boys are made of.”
“Boy: noun; a noise with dirt on it.”
Not to mention the ever growing in popularity “Dirt, bugs, messes, and hugs, that’s what little boys are made of.”
Now that I’m a mom and have seen first hand what exactly my little boy is made of, the sayings just make me laugh. How inaccurate! How misleading! But, I still remember what it felt like to be that new mom, scared to death at the thought of raising a boy because of all the stereotypes surrounding them.
Is my boy on occasion messy, loud, and enamored with things that are a little gross? Absolutely! But I challenge you to find any toddler, of either gender, that isn't.
So, I’ve decided to write my own little poem; one that I feel is a little more accurate. To all the mommies, current and to-be, of boys, I hope you find it as truthful as I do. And to the woman I met down the kids clothing aisle, thank you for the inspiration--and I’m thankful you didn’t have boys, too.
My Boy is More Than Those:
A little noise with dirt on it,
Pebble filled pockets and worn out knees,
As a mom to a little boy,
I’ve heard most all of these.
But what you don’t see might surprise you,
If you take a second look,
In this house, my boy is more than chaos,
Just watch him read his books.
He waddles behind daddy like a duck,
Is famous for his cuddles.
He loves to smell the flower’s at the park,
And whisper during blanket fort huddles.
He giggles at kitties,
And pats puppy’s heads.
He counts the chimes on the grandfather clock,
He snuggles all morning in our bed.
My boy is happy and healthy and pure,
My boy is smart and sweet and kind,
My boy is silly and playful and determined,
My boy is more than the stereotype in your mind.
So you can keep your silly rhymes,
That make my boy sound dirty and gross,
While he may be messy and hole-y at times,
He is so much more than those.
