Gender Differences

It is quite apparent that little boys and girls are so completely opposite from the moment they are born into this world. I once thought that it wasn't really that different to be the parent of a boy or a girl until I watched  children play. Little boys growl and wrestle and little girls play nicely with the others. It didn't help much to have a minor in Women's Studies in college because they didn't teach you about men, they taught you about women and they are very, very different from each other. My mom said it well when she had my brother, "I only had sisters and didn't know what little boys were like. I took him to the doctor when he was two and asked her if he was okay because he didn't talk, he just made car noises." My father always said the women's restroom was a warning for men, saying "Woah-Men, don't go in there!" I should have listened carefully. Actually, being the mother of a boy is a very rewarding job and I cannot be more proud to be "Ian's Mom." That is my new nickname and what other kids and moms will refer to me as from here on out. Unless, I ask them to call me Mrs. Porto or something more formal like my real name...I was at a birthday party once and one of the girls came up to me and asked, "Are you Russo's wife?" and I had to stop and think..."Who is Russo?" and once I realized that was Roosevelt I replied, "Yes, I guess I am Russo's wife." Now I will be referred to as somebody's mom, which is quite a rewarding reference. I guess they should create a major in college called Men's Studies...that would be useful for both sexes.

Big Boy Toys

We took Ian down to the airport here in town to show him some Big Boy Toys and he had a great time. It is fun to finally take him out in public and to put on shoes!! It has been almost five months and we are just beginning to share our little man with the world. I have spent so much time telling people I am a mom without having my son with me, just showing a picture. Now Roosevelt and I can go around the block and say, "Look! We really do have a son and here he is!" It is such a revelation to actually feel like you are one family unit instead of three separate parts. We are just now beginning to see the wonderfulness of being a family together.

Child Cub

In no way are there words to explain little boys, except to compare them to baby animals. It is amazing to watch my little man eat...it's like a lion cub going for the kill, wrestling his food to the ground and then devouring it.  One definition of devour is to destroy: to destroy something rapidly and completely. He is a consumption machine, farting, punching, scratching, kicking, growling and roaring just to get his food down...which is only milk and doesn't need killing or chewing to get down, simply swallowing will do.