Ten Surprising Things I Didn’t Realize About Raising a Boy

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I’m a boy mom now. Eighteen months following the birth of my son, I am definitely proud of this fact and can’t imagine it any other way. However, at the ten-week mark in my pregnancy when we excitedly opened our sex results from our OBGYN, I was crestfallen. A boy? What am I supposed to do with a boy?

Boys know how to perfect a selfie at a young age.
Boys know how to perfect a selfie at a young age.

I think in my mind I always knew I was having a boy, I could feel it. But I couldn’t help the nagging feeling that I really wanted a girl. With a little girl, I could dress her up and have fun with shopping and lunching together (I just knew my baby girl would share my love for Nordstrom.) But alas, the results were clear, we were having a baby boy. And god do I love this boy.  From the moment I laid eyes on him, he stole my heart. And honestly, should my husband and I choose to have another child, I would be the one wishing for another boy! It’s that good. 

Take that for what its worth, but I can promise you that from where I’m sitting boys are pretty darn great. So while I wasn’t expecting this Boy Mom title, I couldn’t be more proud. For any of you other moms out there who are wishing for a girl, but expecting a boy…here are ten surprising things I didn’t know about raising a boy. Some are fun, some are funny and some are so sweet you will be more excited than ever to join the club.

  1. Everything is rough and tumble for boys. This kiddo falls…a lot. And most of the time it doesn’t faze him, so I try not to let it faze me, as well.
  2. Boys loves balls. Soccer, football, basketball, tennis or just the icky ones in the ball pit. As a sports lover myself, this is a perfect fit for my family. 
    • In turn, EVERTYHING is a ball. From books to my phone, it will all eventually get chucked on the floor.   So do yourself a favor and buy the insurance on your phone and get yourself a nice protective case while you’re at it.
This boy loves football!
Football!
  1. He is his father’s son. His mannerisms are already starting to remind me of his dad and it couldn’t be more adorable. The little boy I love more than anything is turning into the man I love more than anything.
  2. He relies on dad for playtime and mom for cuddle time. I don’t always love this dynamic, but when he wants to cuddle I know I am winning. 
  3. Boys are loud. Always testing his lungs, the kid can wail.
  4. Everything is a game for boys. We spent 25 minutes playing “throw the ball on the couch” last night. He loved it.
  5. Boys can still be divas. One of the things I was most excited about when I realized we were having a boy was how I wouldn’t have to deal with a DIVA. Little did I know that boys have their moments too. Mariah Carey would be proud.
  6. He knows how to test my limits. Even at 18 months, he already knows how to push it. I think this goes with boys and girls, but when they do something they know they shouldn’t and turn to give you that sly grin before jumping head first off the couch, its enough to kill me.
  7. Boys can be ironically shy. My little guy can ham it up with the best of them, but when it comes time to meet a new person or walk into a crowded room he just clams up and sticks his finger in his nose. Typical
    • The nose picking and “scratching” starts so early for little boys. So get used to it.
  8. Boys love their momma’s. It took me a while to realize this (see my previous post). But no one loves their mom more than a little boy.

So for all you “boy moms” out there…way to go! We might not always have the ruffles and tutus we may have dreamed about, but in my opinion boys are the best!