When I adopted a little boy I knew it would be different but nobody prepared me for HOW different. He has been a joy 95% of the time since he came into my life, and he has taught me a lot about how much I had missed by never living with a male during my entire adult life. [The phrase put the toilet seat DOWN, comes to mind, among a few others...LOL]
In a way, parenting a boy worked out better for me, though, because I am not a "girly girl" and it's easier for me to relate to a boy. Boys are pretty straightforward. (I love my daughter but she is a "girly girl" and I think this may account for some of the challenges in our relationship.) My son never makes me feel guilty for not taking him for a "mani/pedi" or shopping at the mall. [I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than do either activity...]
Here are a few things, though, I never THOUGHT I'd hear myself saying to my son..
"You have to give a speech dressed as Harriet Tubman?!" [that was in 3rd grade and he was still learning English and didn't understand the instructions until it was too late]
"Oh, those ear gauges look nice with that outfit."
"You want to borrow WHAT to put on your hair?!?" [gel]
"Do you really think running down Stone Mountain in your Vans [shoes] when it's raining is a good idea?!"
"You really like a German performance art group, Du Hast?" [I really didn't want a translation of the German...]
"Don't get a tattoo that can be seen in a job interview." [it never occurred to me any child of mine would get a tattoo, or three..]
"Since you started college, I don't get my usual Fall school photos, so how about we make a photo right now, and call it your Fall Photo?!" [the result is below]
For those who are interested, the "Sasha" tattoo is a memorial to his older brother Sasha, who died, and angel wings; the one on the underside of his upper arm is the phases of the moon and Cancer [his astrological sign]; the one on the lower part of his arm, red roses and my name...
