Snakes, snails and puppy dog tails

As a mom of two girls, I am learning a lot about raising my first boy.

Number one--Boys don’t think like us. For example, my son has had a passion for knives since he was two. Apparently, my husband was the same way, and he isn’t a mass murderer, so I guess my boy will turn out okay.

Number two--They do things we girls would never, ever consider. I mean ever, like kissing our big, slobbery, dirt and drool-covered Labrador square on the mouth. That’s not to say I don’t love my dog, but ewwwwww…

I also hear myself asking him the strangest questions. Today, for instance, I noticed his toothbrush was in the backseat of our truck. So, I said, “Son, is that your toothbrush?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How long has it been in the backseat?”

“Since our vacation.”

That was the first week of June.

Number three--Boys are just as confused by girls as we are by them. My son came home the other day, complaining bitterly about the little girl up the street. Don’t get me wrong; he is crazy about her. She has bright red hair and freckles. She also has the amazing ability to flash him a toothless grin and get anything she wants out of him, which is mainly bubble gum. Because of this, she is the source of much frustration as well as hidden admiration.

The other night he said, “Lou Anne is bossy!”

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“She made me push her bike all the way up the hill and ask her dad to fix it for her.”

“Well, son, how did she do that?”

“I don’t know! She’s just good at it!”

Number four--The absolute best thing about boys is they LOVE their mamas. Tonight, I tucked him in, and he said, “Mama, I love you more than anyone on Earth.”

“Thank you, son, I love you, too. That was a nice thing to say."

“Well, who wouldn’t?" he said. "You are the sweetest person on the planet.”

And that makes up for all the snakes, snails and puppy dog tails, and then some.