How does nature compare to the nurturing we do for our children when it comes to the sex of the child? The more growing up Riley does the more we wonder how big of a part we play in his becoming a man...
Is it because we have toys that like trucks and tools that he is such a boy or is it mostly in his nature to be drawn to toys that fix things and that are more boyish?
He is such a boy that it cracks us up. He discovered ice fishing recently by watching it on TV with Daddy and he can't stop talking about it. The first thing out of his mouth after a weekend nap was "Hi Mommy, buy ice house peese?" I mean seriously, I have been dealing with D and his love of the outdoors and all the expensive toys that come along with that but now my 2 year old is asking to go deer hunting, pretending to ice fish through our heating vents with a wire that he attaches his bobber and lures to and 'building' with his toys nonstop. He at all times has a bobber, lure or car in his pockets to bring out at a moments notice and show whomever will appear interested. I think Target thought we were stealing the other night because he kept pulling things out of his coat pockets and showing them off!
We have been finding ourselves at home a lot with Daddy present the last week which has been wonderful for preparing for the new baby and means lots of work has gone into into her room including building her dresser and painting (which also means taping-YUCK!) and Riley has been hands on the entire time. He helped take the tape down after painting, grabbed a roller and started 'painting' while we were taping and rounded out the weekend with putting together the dresser. I wondered how helpful he was really going to be after 'helping' Mommy put up the tree (which to him meant piling all of the ornaments on one branch until it got so heavy that they all fell down-so helpful at this age and yet how helpful was he!?) but he was a huge help to Daddy! He handed Daddy the hammer, drill, parts of the dresser whatever was asked of him and he never once got bored. He was so proud when it was done and D was equally proud and super impressed with his miniature hands on help! When the dresser was all done he continued to pick up the directions and then count out off numbers on the tape measure as he concentrated hard on his task at hand.
Don't get me wrong Riley is a very sensitive and loving boy. At Sunday School these days he goes right to the baby and puts her in the highchair to feed her and then lays her down gently when it's time to go making sure she is covered and cared for while he is gone. He sees pictures of his sister and yells out "my baby" and then comes and hugs my tummy or goes to sit in her room and 'prepare' for her. He loves to go through her clothes with me while I organize them by size and place them in her closet, he loves to look at her pictures and then compare them to his baby pictures around the house but most of all he is just a lover, he loves to hug other kids now and gives Emmett unexpected hugs and kisses, he loves to say hi to all of his classmates and then buh bye when it's time to leave. At Pottery Barn this weekend he was drawn to the vintage kitchen set and he made and presented us with drinks and treats which he was super proud of. He is caring, he loves his sister already and can't wait to give her hugs and kisses.
His love of all things boy makes me wonder what his sister's childhood will be like. Will she be a tomboy and play all the sports like me (even baseball with the boys?) because that is what her and her brother do together or will she be all girl and never want to get dirty or put a glove on? Will she want to go hunting with her Daddy and brother like some of my girlfriends did growing up leaving me with an empty house for a long weekend or will she prefer to stay home and help Mommy around the house (i.e. pedicures and manicures : )
Random thoughts running through our heads as we get closer and closer to bringing home a girl. We covered Riley before we went to bed last night and we peeked in her room and both stared-almost numb to the fact that we will be have another child soon. It seems surreal and a bit scary. We have this 'routine' thing down so well with our family of 3 and it will all soon be turned upside down. However, we are not the first parents to expand our family and even though I keep hearing that going from 1 to 2 is the hardest transition as compared to going from 2 to 3 or even 3 to 4 we are excited, nervous, preparing, wondering and daydreaming about our new reality that is coming so quick. So regardless of what her personality blossoms out to be she will always be Riley's baby sister, our first girl, the first Hutchie granddaughter and most importantly the 2nd love of our lives.
And what would a post be without pictures? Ha! Even though winter has slowed me down in my pathological picture taking I manage to still get a few quick shots here and there! ; )
Setting his line in the ice hole.
Reeling in his big catch!
Love, love, love this bedding!
