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5 Minutes for Mom brings you exclusive samplings from the best mom blogs in our weekly column, The Sampler, hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom contributing editor Shera, from A Frog In My Soup.
As the mom of boys myself, I truly enjoyed reading the reality, candor and humor in the post that I am featuring in The Sampler this week! Rachel is the mother of three very active little boys who insist that it is okay to go outside, no matter what the weather is like. She is the owner of www.BusyMommy.us, a website geared towards helping moms survive motherhood one mess at a time, and blogs about what it is like to mother boys at Puppy Dog Tales.
Mother of Boys
I think I am officially a mother of boys. There is a huge lawnmower box covered in crayon in my front room, “roads” made out of masking tape all over my playroom floor, and plastic lizards on my couch. This is giving me flash backs to growing up with three brothers. I have a friend who swears that after the third boy the baby weight just falls off because you never have time to sit down. My chocolate addiction seems to have relieved me of that benefit but I’m hopeful that it will work for me down the road.
My kids have grown up so fast that it shocks me how quickly I made the transition from cute little baby blue clothes without holes in the knees, folded neatly in the drawers, to a house where you can’t walk 5 feet without stepping on a hot wheels car.
Tonight, one by one, each one of my children let me rock them in the rocking chair that I have had since my oldest was born. That was a rare moment. Most of the time I have to chase them down to get a hug. My two year old had one of his screaming fits. I was trying to put him to bed and he was trying to tell me what he wanted. The poor kid knows exactly what he’s saying but no one else can understand him. All I got was he wanted something done to his blanket. He got so frustrated that I couldn’t understand him that he just burst into tears and started screaming hysterically. He started crying so hard that he was choking on air and I just gave in. I picked him up and sat down in the rocking chair with him and he laid his head on my shoulder and forgot whatever it was he was upset about. He was asleep in minutes and I just kept rocking him.
When I went to put him back in bed, my 4 year old leaned over the bars of the top bunk and said “Mommy, can you rock me too?”
This is the child who insists that cannot still be my baby when I tell him that he will always be my baby no matter how big he gets. This is the child who tells me he is too big for cuddling and too old to hold my hand. I know that my days are limited with this one. Even now, the times he asks to sit on my lap are few and far between. I couldn’t turn him down. He sat on my lap while I rocked him and told me how soon he was going to be 5. And after that he was going to be 6,7,8,9, and 10. I wonder if I can rock a 10 year old boy on my lap.
My 7 month old, who is usually the only one to put up with being rocked, was the last one in line. I rocked him while he played with my necklace and gummed my fingers. Today, he is the baby. But I know it won’t be long before he will be filling my house with ladybugs and rock collections, just like his big brothers are. Before I know it, I will have three grown men staring back at me and I will be wondering where my babies went.
~ Written by Rachel Lister of BusyMommy.us.
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This column is Hosted by Shera. She can be found at A Frog In My Soup
Paula Englert says
I am the mother of three grown sons and the Grandma of four grandsons. I am definitely a “boys Mom”. When I was 11 yrs. old I told my mother that when I was married I wanted to have 12 children. She said no matter how many I had they would all be boys. I think she knew I was to be a boys mom even then. My grandsons are 3, 5, 7, and 10. The three youngest fight over who gets to sit with me in the rocker. It’s a recliner/rocker with wide arms so I can fit all three with me, if they aren’t all wiggly. I haven’t tried rocking the 10 year old yet, but I will after reading this article. I think he will let me rock him, although I think HE thinks he’s too old for that. He’s just too young to realize that you never outgrow the need to be rocked and loved by your mother or grandmother.
Allison says
What a sweet post!
I have a 10 month old, but he isn’t very fond of cuddling. He’s a *very* active child, who hates to sleep. About two months ago he came down with a fever and a nasty cold, and I couldn’t stop cuddling with him because not only did he need it, but after 8 months *I* needed the cuddling time!
Beth Ann says
I have 7 year old twins, boy and girl, and to keep them from crying (colic)I would rock them constantly. My son still likes me to rock him and sing Rock-a-by-baby…but I know this shall pass soon enough, as he is not as quick to come to me for much…too busy playing. My daughter is great at hugs, but not so much on the rocking.
I miss those moments, and fondly remember…
Doll Clothes Gal says
Great post – i could sort of relate. I have one daughter and gilrs are so very different.
heather u says
Thanks for sharing one of the days that makes being amommy worthwhile. This was beautiful!
Cecelia says
I have a 2 year old girl and am just entering the world of mommyhood to a boy (3 months) and am anxious to see what diferences it brings!
Beth says
” I wonder if I can rock a 10 year old boy on my lap.”
Yes, yes, yes you can!! My almost 10 year old sat in my lap this morning- crying and telling me that sometimes I make him so mad he just wants to run away. Then he told me he loved me! How’s that for tearing your heart out piece by piece!!!
I know I was meant to be a boy momma! God sure knows what he’s doing!!!
Angela says
I can sooooooooooooooo relate…. my youngest is now 7…. bittersweet.
Sonya says
thanks for making me cry…i needed it…!
happyathome says
That was a wonderful post, and I love the fact the 4 year old still wanted to be rocked! I hope the same for my child, it scares me how fast they grow up and so independent! BTW, love the sister blogs and the look!
Stop by my blog, I need help quickly on a BIG issue with my new up coming blog design. HELP!
http://www.lifeislikechampagneblog.com/2008/07/this-just-burns-me.html
Kimberly Coleman says
I have two boys myself (a four years old and 16 months old one). I love being their mommy – they are answered prayers. I’m not looking forward to the days ahead when they get “too old” for cuddling and kisses!
The Apron Queen says
Have you ever read the book Love You Forever? The Mom rocks the baby (the boy, then the man) and sings a song to him- “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living, My baby you’ll be”. At the end, the Mom gets old & the grown son rocks her. Tears me up every time I read it even though I’ve read it a million times. My “baby” is 21 now. 🙁
For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen
Amanda says
Very cute… I have two boys and one (mabye boy?!?!??) on the way…. so I felt like I could relate.
Many blessings-
Amanda