My son, Tolan, is fast approaching his third birthday. In the last few months, it seems that he has had a huge growth spurt, complete with added inches to his height and words to his vocabulary.
Every other day he is doing or saying something brand new. Yet, as the birth of this next baby grows closer (and I grow larger), the reality that Tolan will no longer be “the baby” sets in.
My son is a boy. All boy. He is the opposite of his sister. He is a little man who does little man things in a little man body. He is entertaining, to say the least. Here are some of the funny things he says and awesomely boy things he does…
He lifts up my shirt and observes the baby bump that has appeared. He kisses my stomach and says, “Hi baby. How you doin’?” It is a combo of sweet toddler voice and Joey from Friends.
Everything–and I mean everything–is a gun or a sword. Sticks, bubble wands, flashlights, chopsticks, even his sister’s doll, have all been used to shoot or swipe something. When he was a little smaller, he would say, “I boom you” when he was shooting his gun at you.
He is overly excited about food, all food, except fruit. What kid hates fruit? Just mine, I guess. When a tasty plate of food is plopped down in front of him, he always exclaims “Num, num, num.” Three “nums” everytime.
He loves showing off his “pee pee.” I find this alarming, but was told by friends who have older boys that it is perfectly normal for them to be perverts from such a young age. Uh, okay, if you say so…
His current catchphrases include:
- “Oh. My. Gosh.” when he is really excited about something.
- “Super cool,” when something is, well, super cool.
- “Nevermind,” when he gets frustrated, because I still can’t understand 100% of his toddler speak.
- “I do it,” which means that he thinks he can do it, whether “it” means opening the car door or buckling his own carseat.
- “Hey, I talkin’ to you,” when he is trying to interrupt or get someone’s attention. We are currently working on teaching him the much more polite, “excuse me.”
In true boy manner, he walked down the hallway behind his sister, stopped, dropped his pants, and told her to turn around. “Look Sissy, see my bum!” He actually mooned her.
He also loves, loves, loves superheroes. He will run through the house with his arms spread out like a bird’s wings, pretending to fly. He then swoops over me in the kitchen, pulls out a gun, shoots me, and says, “I’m a suppa-hewo.”
Tolan is also extremely considerate and loves to share. He offers his sister some of what he has, no matter the item. Even his coveted “special treats” are shared.
Sound effects. Are boys born with the ability to generate amazing sound effects? Tolan exercises this skill daily, with the sounds of weapons firing, swords clinking, and superheroes soaring.
He is a cuddle bug. Since the moment he was born, we realized how much he wanted, heck needed, to be snuggling right up next to us. He still does. After he awakes from a nap, he climbs on the couch and has me sit next to him, with his head on my chest (told you, all boy).
We snuggle. I stroke his little tufts of blond hair. I soak it all in, knowing that, very soon, these moments will be gone. But for now, I’ll take every single “snug” I can get.
What are some of your favorite little boy things? What are some of the favorite things about your own kids or the kids in your life? What did you do as a kid?
Having three nephews I have many favorite little boy things…but first I have to tell you that you are not alone in the no fruit thing. My oldest nephew had the most limited food intake, purely from his own great distaste for almost everything. He refused fruit or vegetables, even from baby food jars. I remember once when my sis took me out for my birthday at Olive Garden and he was still in a high chair. We ordered a fried zucchini appetizer and he actually ate a piece. My sister cried. “He’s finally eating a vegetable!” I didn’t think there was any actual nutritional value from the vegetable left after the breading and deep frying…but you feel her pain I’m sure.
My next nephew LOVED fruit. He called strawberries “strawbabies” and blueberries “bluebabies”. We loved to feed him fruit just to hear his sweet voice say those words.
When the twins came (a boy and a girl), they would both eat pretty much anything (hopefully your third will be the same).
Now, as far as my favorite little boy things…my first nephew loved to sit leaning on me, with his thumb in his mouth and his other hand twirling a piece of my hair. He used to love for me to sing to him (especially from Jungle Book). And his sweet smile melted me to where I’d do anything for him (probably good I’m the aunt and not the mom).
My 2nd nephew is amazingly creative. I thought of him when you mentioned the sound effects. I remember once he was up in his room and I heard all these noises…it took me a sec to realize they were all coming from him and not a toy. He could create his own little world and they always involved a LOT of laser blasts (thank you Star Wars).
My last nephew is the snuggler. Both the twins are really. But as he is now growing out of it, I really miss it. Although I got him some Ed Emberly drawing books and now I get pictures of places with dinosaurs and space ships.
When I turned 40 a couple weeks ago. They all did something special for me. The younger three made me cards and banners that they dropped from the balcony as I came in the front door, and the oldest made me a cake (and explained that was his card to me). I’ll take it. I love them all to pieces. And you’re right. All too soon those sweet snuggles and pictures will be gone. But I have a feeling that the laser beam sounds will always be around.
Your nephews sound like such sweet, fun, and kind boys. What a blessing they must be.
I have tried disguising fruit in other foods. He won’t fall for it. he will eat dried fruit, however, which is usually loaded with sugar.
Oh well.
I hope I can remember him like this, but I’ll probably only be able to hold onto a few fleeting memories.
Your nephews are lucky to have you as an aunt too, by the way.
Nicole, you’re little Tolan sounds adorable! My nephew was born when I was in high school, he was 2 months premature and has Down Syndrome. I adored him from the moment I met him. He has been a source of laughter for my family through the years. When he first started school he would always congratulate himself when he did something good. He could mimic a teacher’s voice so well, “Good job, Logan, good job!” He is so funny!
My dad raises chickens and one of his favorite activities right now is chasing chickens! The chickens aren’t allowed out of the coupe until the afternoon so they don’t destroy the garden and Logan will sit outside the fence and barn and watch them and talk to them until Papa lets hims open the gate and let them free. The expression on his face when he gets to chase his chickens is pure joy. He loves to “shoot hoops” and jump on the trampoline and you will be his best friend if you join him. He was always my little buddy and snuggle bug, but he will be 11 this summer and is getting too cool for me! More often when I try to get hugs and kisses I’m told to go away! So sad! But it makes me appreciate the cuddles I do get even more!
Have fun with your little guy, and good luck with all the owies! I’ve heard boys injure themselves much more often than girls, which has to terrify their mothers. I hope for a little boy one day, but I’m a little afraid of the heart break his boo boos will cause me!
Oh my gosh Carla, Logan sounds like the sweetest thing ever.
I can just picture him sitting there waiting for those chickens too. Oh man, too cute.
I am dreading the day when my son will be too cool for me. I’m not even a mushy-gushy type of girl, but I love hugging and kissing my little man.
You are right too, boys hurt themselves way more. My son fell off of a window well ladder back in December and split his head open.
There was so much blood, I thought he might have permanent damage…but nope, just 8 staples in his skull. Needless to say, I am not looking forward to the pre-teen and teen years.
When my daughter was learning to talk, she started with three words: mama, dada, and turtle. Having a vocabulary of three words meant having to categorize everything she might want to say under one of the three words. Consequently, everything warm and comforting and nice was a “mama”. Everything exciting and adventurous and interesting was a “dada” – including the pastor at our church, to his mild annoyance. Everything that wasn’t a mama or a dada was by default a “turtle”. (I take credit for teaching her the turtle word – it was one of her bath toys.) One day, while at a petting zoo, she was momentarily distracted from petting the goats, and noticed a donkey in the next pen. She instantly pointed at it and at the top of her lungs yelled, “TURTLE!!!”
At about that same age, she loved to walk around the house clad only in a pair of panties and wearing a pair of her mother’s much-too-large high heels. One day I watched her walk past in the panties-and-high-heels outfit and then looked at my wife and sighed and said, “Someday her husband will thank us.”
When she got a little older, she typically went to sleep with a classical music CD playing. She invariably wanted the volume turned up louder than we thought appropriate. One night I asked her why that was. She replied, “Dad, I have to be able to hear it while I’m asleep!”
One final one that a co-worker of mine told me yesterday. I think her son is about two. His current favorite expression is, “What in the world of heck!”
What sweet and funny memories of your little girl.
My daughter did a similar thing and called any female under 40 a “mommy”, any man under 4o a daddy, and anyone who looked slightly older a “grandma” or “grandpa.”
It became rather embarrassing when she would see a 50 year old, stylish, fit women and proclaim “Grandma!”
I love your daughter’s line about being able to hear her music while she’s asleep. So hilarious and logical to a kid.
Thanks for sharing Ed and making me smile.
I had two girls who are now 35 & 31. But I have a grandson who is the light of my life. I can’t even begin to tell you how he has changed things. From the sounds to the activities, he is all boy. But nothing beats hearing him say when he visits: “hey grandpa, can we watch CARS?” “Hey grandpa, wanna play baseball?” “hey grandpa, i love you.” Love hearing that you little man is being a boy and you are allowing it. Thanks for the walk down memory lane Nicole.
Bill,
Nothing beats the bond between a grandson and his grandpa.
My son is enamored, fascinated, and totally taken with both of his grandpas.
What a special and awesome gift from the Lord you have in him.
Yes, everything becomes a weapon! But also, in my house, things become either a weapon or an instrument!
Myilie,
That is cool, weapons and instruments. Sounds like you may have a musician in the family.
Little boy story:
I have some friends whose kids referred to me as “Uncle Don”, even though they knew I really wasn’t. It was just a nice thing for them to do. So. One of these kids was a boy who, at the age of about 5 or 6, used to consistently have his hand down the front of his pants because he liked to touch himself. (No worries. All boys do that at one time or another.)
However, one time I told him that it wasn’t good to touch his penis all the time with his hands because his hands were dirty and would make his penis dirty. He listened and then disappeared to elsewhere in the house. Two minutes later I see him walking down the hallway with his hands, BOTH of them, shoved prominently down the front of his pants.
I said, “Dude, what did I just tell you about that?”
Without missing a beat, he replies:
“But Uncle Don, I just washed my hands in the bathroom! Want to smell the soap?”
What could I say? He had me dead to rights. He had washed his hands, which meant they could be on his penis at will. Clever, clever kid. (He is almost 18 now. I don’t know if he still touches himself. I hope if he does, he at least remembers to wash.his.hands.)
He, he, he! Love boys!
Moe,
Unfortunately, the funniest “boy stories” I have seem to revolve around their penises. Go figure.
Oh man, that is a hilarious story. Just goes to show you male logic and that fact that males will do whatever is necessary to slip their hands down their pants.
P.S. My hubster and I have started to lovingly refer to you as “The Don.”
“…that males will do whatever is necessary to slip their hands down their pants.”
You say this like it’s a bad thing. LOL!
I don’t have kids, and not many in my life, but here are a few short tales:
My coworker has a kid, 7 yo, who is a bit of a goon. He moons his family, has done a powerpoint called “My Interesting Butt”, and often makes farting noises and blames it on his father. Recently, we found out from a friend of his teacher that in school, he will sometimes raise his hand politely to a question and, when called on, answer loudly “GUMMY BEARS!”
The fortunate/unfortunate thing about this wild kid is that I do most of the same things as he does, and I’m a grown adult male. I still moon people, blame gas on “the dog” (we don’t have a dog), wiggle my tush and run away, tell poop and pee jokes. I guess we never grow up.
I have a niece who is not yet a year old. When she was about 3 weeks old, I started a tradition with her. Every time I visit, I’m taking pictures holding her, “reading” to her from heavy philosophy and theology books. So far I’ve read to her “Nausea” from Jean-Paul Sartre and The Philokalia, an ancient textbook that the Orthodox use for spiritual contemplation, prayers, etc. :) This summer I think we’ll move on to Kierkegaard and perhaps some C.S. Lewis. Who knows.
Anyway, there’s my small interaction with some of the goofy kids in my world. Sounds like you’re going to have quite a handful!
blessings,
Josh
Your co-workers kid sounds like a character.
I love letting kids be kids. The time is so short. When else in life can you yell “GUMMY BEARS” when called upon? Only adolescence.
My husband has been known to still moon people from time to time. He blames his gas on me, much to my horror. My kids laugh and laugh and think it’s the funniest joke ever told. I like a little bit of boyhood in men. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I have a boy, and after having a girl, I can say, what a difference they are. They have so much energy, love (and I mean love) to fight. They are aggressive, funny and just plain love silliness. My son (who is 4) loves to say “butt, fart, wee-wee) and he has an obsession with nipples. He can’t see anyone without a shirt or he yells out “tee-tas” (spanish for.. well, you know).
I love boys!
Oh my gosh…you got me laughing. Boys are so funny. They are so simple, much like men. I don’t mean stupid–just simple. Butts, farts, penises, boobs, it still rings true for many men.
I’m a little scared, I admit, for this 3rd baby to be a boy. Two boys wrestling, sword fighting (both kinds), and generally being rowdy–makes me tired just thinking about it.
Speaking of the simplicity of men, here is advice I would give to any woman preparing for the marriage covenant:
Feed him, flatter him, give him “guy time”, and sex him up.
Men are simple, indeed. :)
Just have to say that your first picture is amazing! Tolan can rock the glasses.