Nobody told me she'd scream
When I announced to the world that I was having a girl, I got mixed reactions. The most common was, "One of each! How lucky you are." I agreed of course, but it isn't like we made it happen that way, we really just got lucky. And technically, the sperm is to blame (or congratulate), so the luck was on all my husband's part. But anyway, that is beside the point. It was the second round of comments that took me a bit by surprise.
"She's gonna be moody. Girls are from birth."
"Just wait til she's a teenager."
"Get ready for noise."
"Expect a handful. Girls tend to be more drama queens than the boys."
Yeah. I didn't really know how to react either. I mean, when I was pregnant with my son--did I get these kind of comments? No. In fact, the number one comment I got, was, "Good for you! Someone to carry the family name." [insert eye roll here] But there wasn't a follow-up. At all. So why this time was there a need to warn me? Girls are girls. I am a girl! How could it be that different?
Well it is. But all kids are different, so I am still not feeling a big change between the two children. Except, it one tiny area. Loudness. Here's a typical afternoon in our house.
"Mom, can you come in my room for a minute?" from The Kiddo.
"Just a second hon," me with The Peanut in my arms, "let me put your sister in her swing."
"Okay!" he sprints to his bedroom in preparation.
I plop his sister into the swing, turn it to sway and play the background rain forest sounds (the only one I can stand) and turn to leave the room.
"Aaaaaaaah!" the Peanut demands as I round the corner to the hall.
"Just a minute sweetie," I holler as I take further steps towards The Kiddo's room.
"Aaaaack!" she responds.
"See Mom," The Kiddo points to the robot he's created on his floor with his plastic golf clubs, legos, empty show box, plastic bin bottom, and the gear blocks he's so fond of leaving on the floors everywhere in teh home.
"AAAAAck!" The Peanut demands.
"One more minute," I yell as sweetly as I can towards the living room, "It looks fabulous kiddo. What does this robot do?"
"It's a scratchie remover."
"AAAACK! AAAACK!"
"A scratchie remover?"
"It's the scratchies that live on your lips."
Yeah, I am at as much of a loss as you are.
"Scratchies only live on babies--"
"ACK! ACK! ACK!"
"--so I built it for the baby."
"AAAACK!"
"Okay," concerned about these scrathies I've never heard about before, but more concerned about the intense screaming of the infant in the other room, I exit the room with a forced smile on my face, "you'll have to tell me about these scratchies. I want to know about them." Three steps down the hallway I add, "But it will have to be in the living room. I have to go pay attention to your sister."
So, was everyone right? Well, sorta. The Peanut is definitely more vocal than the Kiddo was at her age. I mean, all day long I get a chorus of Ooohs, Ahhhs, Aaacks, and Goo, Gaas. And by chorus I mean a constant string of those sounds together as if she is having a deep conversation with me (and especially my husband). My son was more--how can I say this--definitive(?). He would say one syllable or sound. And then stop. A few minutes later, do it again. And then he's be quiet for a length of time. So, in that respect--sure they were right.
But as far as being more of a handful--so far, it is very much the same (at this age). The separation aspect is in full force (thus the leaving of the room screaming bit). And so is the I Don't Think I Can Sleep In Here By Myself situation. Which really does make bedtime a bit of a challenge (even though, we were prepared this time, and from birth we put The Peanut down before she was in a deep sleep). But we are managing. Just as we did before. And really, the kids aren't that different YET.
"She's gonna be moody. Girls are from birth."
"Just wait til she's a teenager."
"Get ready for noise."
"Expect a handful. Girls tend to be more drama queens than the boys."
Yeah. I didn't really know how to react either. I mean, when I was pregnant with my son--did I get these kind of comments? No. In fact, the number one comment I got, was, "Good for you! Someone to carry the family name." [insert eye roll here] But there wasn't a follow-up. At all. So why this time was there a need to warn me? Girls are girls. I am a girl! How could it be that different?
Well it is. But all kids are different, so I am still not feeling a big change between the two children. Except, it one tiny area. Loudness. Here's a typical afternoon in our house.
"Mom, can you come in my room for a minute?" from The Kiddo.
"Just a second hon," me with The Peanut in my arms, "let me put your sister in her swing."
"Okay!" he sprints to his bedroom in preparation.
I plop his sister into the swing, turn it to sway and play the background rain forest sounds (the only one I can stand) and turn to leave the room.
"Aaaaaaaah!" the Peanut demands as I round the corner to the hall.
"Just a minute sweetie," I holler as I take further steps towards The Kiddo's room.
"Aaaaack!" she responds.
"See Mom," The Kiddo points to the robot he's created on his floor with his plastic golf clubs, legos, empty show box, plastic bin bottom, and the gear blocks he's so fond of leaving on the floors everywhere in teh home.
"AAAAAck!" The Peanut demands.
"One more minute," I yell as sweetly as I can towards the living room, "It looks fabulous kiddo. What does this robot do?"
"It's a scratchie remover."
"AAAACK! AAAACK!"
"A scratchie remover?"
"It's the scratchies that live on your lips."
Yeah, I am at as much of a loss as you are.
"Scratchies only live on babies--"
"ACK! ACK! ACK!"
"--so I built it for the baby."
"AAAACK!"
"Okay," concerned about these scrathies I've never heard about before, but more concerned about the intense screaming of the infant in the other room, I exit the room with a forced smile on my face, "you'll have to tell me about these scratchies. I want to know about them." Three steps down the hallway I add, "But it will have to be in the living room. I have to go pay attention to your sister."
So, was everyone right? Well, sorta. The Peanut is definitely more vocal than the Kiddo was at her age. I mean, all day long I get a chorus of Ooohs, Ahhhs, Aaacks, and Goo, Gaas. And by chorus I mean a constant string of those sounds together as if she is having a deep conversation with me (and especially my husband). My son was more--how can I say this--definitive(?). He would say one syllable or sound. And then stop. A few minutes later, do it again. And then he's be quiet for a length of time. So, in that respect--sure they were right.
But as far as being more of a handful--so far, it is very much the same (at this age). The separation aspect is in full force (thus the leaving of the room screaming bit). And so is the I Don't Think I Can Sleep In Here By Myself situation. Which really does make bedtime a bit of a challenge (even though, we were prepared this time, and from birth we put The Peanut down before she was in a deep sleep). But we are managing. Just as we did before. And really, the kids aren't that different YET.
Labels: boys, girls, life, motherhood, parenting, The Kiddo, The Peanut
