My Boy

I have a lot of friends who are expecting their first baby this year, and many of them are having girls. I've had a TON of fun shopping for all of them.

For women, it's a very natural feeling to want that first baby to be a girl. We want to relive the ballet recitals, shop for little dresses and shoes, and accessorize everything. I get it - I really do. And I love that I've had the chance to experience that with my secondborn. But I was NOT one of those women who felt let down when I learned my firstborn was a boy.

I knew he was a boy. I wanted a boy. And I'm SO happy my firstborn is a boy.

Or, more accurately, I'm so happy Tyler is my firstborn.

He's the big brother every little sister deserves. He's the loving, fun and still occassionally cuddly little boy every mom wants. And he's the energetic, adventurous boy every dad desires. I still remember Andrew shaking/pumping my hand as a way of saying "yes!" when we learned Tyler was a boy on July 5, 2006. Andrew may claim I'm his best friend, but it's pretty clear that Tyler stole that title from me years ago.

When God created Tyler, he did it so perfectly, and we are just now seeing and understanding why Tyler is the way he is. Most 3- or 4-year-olds couldn't handle the stress, the uncertain schedules and the changes that we've dealt with in our family the past year - but Tyler has adapted to every situation like it was completely natural. He's never complained, never expressed jealousy - he's just been so easy, and understanding. He loves his sister to the point I wonder if he'd been waiting for her to arrive in our family before we ever gave a second child a first thought.

I find myself lately feeling so immensely proud of the child he is, has been and is becoming. I love watching as he tries new things, asks bigger and bigger questions, and walks along the path both we and God are trying to set before him.

I love my boy. I'd take 80 more of him if God (and Andrew) would let me.