Monday, June 30, 2008

Are boys really harder to raise????

Ok, so I was at my doc appt last week and had ample time to read some of the magazines (my doc was on call at the hospital). I read an article in Parenting Magazine and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. It was an article about which gender is harder to raise? Seeing that I'm having my second boy, I thought, "this would be interesting to know."

The article was broken down into five categories, then there was a whole lot of information about the studies to back up there answers. Here are the categories:
1. Discipline - boys were harder
2. Physical safety - boys were harder
3. Communication - boys were harder at first, then girls
4. Self Esteem - girls were harder
5. Schooling - boys were harder

After reading the article I felt doomed. What is Heavenly Father thinking by giving me boys? I always thought girls would be harder....hormones, self esteem, drama, blah!!!!( I know my mom would agree with me there:) But then with Miles..... I don't even know how to describe what goes on in this house some days. It looks like a hurricane has plowed through our house. Miles barley escapes one disaster (table falling on him, oh wait, that actually happened today) to running right into the next (climbing up the book shelf and falling down, that happened today too) Didn't he realize that the first accident hurt and maybe he should be a little more cautious? And the craziest part is, I was in the room both times, I just can't keep up with him or even predict his next move. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even reaching him, "Hello, earth to Miles.... let's read this book or sing a song." He's rarely interested in sitting still while I try to teach him where his shoulders are (for head, shoulder's knees and toes) or his colors or anything for that matter. Those are the times I think, if he was a girl, we would be coloring (instead of eating the crayons) and singing songs (instead of picking our nose) and playing dolls (instead of dumping out all our blocks and throwing them). Reading back through this, these things sure do make me laugh and I love my Miles.....but some days.......WOW.

So, I just wanted to know what my mommy friends thought from their experiences........
Are boys really harder than girls (generally speaking)?

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Miles and me at Ortega Park
Beau, Miles and Brock (My friends boys)

This is my friend Dawnell. We've known each other since kindergarten. We would laugh so hard and have so much fun that we would always get our names written on the board, sometimes even a check by them! She is pregnant with her third child (this time a girl) and is due the end of Sept.
Chasing Miles at Santa Cruz beach
This is in the arcade at Santa Cruz on the board walk. Miles was a natural!!!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

So, I've fallen off the blog wagon, and I can't say I'm back on it, but, Miles is sleeping for a few more minutes so I thought I'd write a some things down now and post pics tomorrow.

This summer is going to be crazy busy!! If you know me well, you know I'm a planner, and I can't even wrap my brain around all the things that need to happen between now and August 11th (which is when the Penske truck pulls out from Waterside with my dad and John driving. My mom, Miles and I will fly a couple days later). I don't even know where, what who, how to start planning. So, I'm just kind of......going with the flow......just trying to set small goals for the day, or for the week. In some ways, I think I like it. I'm learning that you can't control things too far in the future so why waste time and energy creating up possible scenarios, and solutions if they should happen.

Take our living situation in Ann Arbor.....have I found a place yet.....no. But it will happen soon and we're only living there a year so how bad could the Apartment really be. Does this sound like Wendy? No. But when you're about to embark on a complete life change... Moving to a state where you've never been (I don't think I've even flown over Michigan) and you don't know a single person there, and you'll be living on student loans, and your husband is starting law school (which let's face it, some people are still taking it in that John decided to go this route....I am. But he'll do GREAT) and...... you're 22 weeks pregnant, due to give birth about 8 weeks after arriving in Ann Arbor...... Am I really worried about the apartment I'll be living in? Not so much. I've reduced my expectations to having a washer and dryer, and hopefully a small enclosed deck for Miles to expel some energy safely while I'm inside with the new baby. So... that's where I am mentally. Have I gone off the deep end (I did turn all of our finances over to John last week)? Or, am I learning to live in the now and take things one step at a time? I'd say a little of both:)

I do want to thank everyone who reads this, who has offered their help this summer with Miles, with moving, with what ever we need. It is overwhelming...the out pour of offers. And also unlike me, I'll take anyone up on them. I always like to make sure things are even...you watch my kid for an hour, I'll watch yours etc. But I don't see how I can possibly keep up on my end, so just know that we (I especially) appreciate beyond expression, all the kind acts of service. It just makes it that much harder to move.... knowing we'll be leaving some of the BEST humans that all man kind has offered this planet. And how did we get so blessed to call them our friends and family? Thank you, Thank you to all.

A little jot about Miles because he just woke up....He's now 18 months old. HE'S EVERYWHERE!! He loves to go, go, go. He's so independent which I love and also hate sometimes. His favorite things to do are to play with his cars, and trains. He asks all the time, "What's that?" He used to do it only when we would read books, he'd point to pictures and I'd tell him what they were, but, the last couple days he does it in the car too. It's really cute but I have a hard time driving and figuring out what he's pointing to. I think mostly he's pointing to cars, trucks, buses, construction sites and the mountains (when we're driving on the belt route). He LOVES being with his dad. They go swimming and wrestle and do all sorts of fun things that mom has no more energy to do by the time dad gets home at 7:30pm. They are best pals. Miles and I recently went to California to be with my parents for a week, and when Miles saw dad at the airport back in Salt Lake.....he just hugged him and put his head on his shoulder. Miles is not a cuddler so this was pretty major. John is a great dad. He and Miles really have a special bond.

John and I are both excited that we're having another boy. I'm excited because I already have all the clothes and Miles will have a friend his whole life. Plus, I love my Miles, I love my boy and I can't wait to have another one. John, I think, is excited for mostly the same reasons. I think he's excited to have another son and I think he's excited for future "boys night out....boys camping trips and outings where things happen that mom will never find out about.....we're both excited to be adding to our little family.

Well...that's all for now (probably for a while). But we'll post some pics and keep you updated on the summer happenings in the home of the Watson's.