That’s what I said to a mom I just struck up a conversation at the park with the week I found out I was expecting a son. She told me “You don’t have to get them, you just have to love them”. Still apprehensive, I believed her.

I remember hearing a comment Madonna made in reference to her two bio kids; she said that because her daughter was so much like her she could more easily get under her skin, however; her son could do no wrong in her eyes. I’m sure the latter didn’t always apply, but I get where she is coming from. Daughters who mirror you reflect back your flaws; showing you-the mother, how the world sees you. Conversely, boys are such anomalies they just cause us to gaze with wonder-sort of how we do when we fall  in love with with our husbands.

Last month, Ethan picked up a box of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse figurines at the Disney store and looked up at me with wide eyes and shoulders up and said “I loooove Mickey, I want to buy this”, I said “I know you do” and got him his heart’s desire (not like me). I was weak in the knees! Budget-busting boys they are! Of course Tia wasn’t going to walk out of there empty-handed! Mothers of both genders will probably agree that we allow our boys to operate with more latitude than girls. Its just one of those things. Even with having and helping to raise two younger brothers I was still nervous about rearing my own son. Just like we totally don’t get the man we married (they would say that about us too) somehow we are smitten by these mysterious earth dwellers. Leo was the name of the aforementioned mother’s son at the park, how ironic; the mother of a “lion” taught me these wild ones can tame our hearts.