Mama's Boy

Sometimes we jokingly call Carson a Mama's Boy. But, he's not even 2 yet, so he pretty much doesn't care.

He likes for me to pick him up only while I'm doing something that requires my full attention to not be on him for 2 seconds, or when he's in a large group of people he doesn't know all that well (sometimes I still want someone to pick me up and let me rest my head on their shoulder so I don't have to socialize either), so it's fine. But you can bet, my son's wife will thank me later for assuring that he is not a genuine mama's boy. Here's why:

The kid has a head that could crack rocks- he's come awful close to giving me a black eye and knocking my husband unconcious with it. When he falls, I do not freak immediately. Usually he gets back up, or he starts playing with a piece of fuzz or something on the floor to make it look like he fell on purpose. This way, he will be able to pick himself up and dust off later without expecting the world to cease. Don't get me wrong, or go report me to DFCS or something, if he is genuinely hurt I can tell immediately and it hurts him for a few minutes, but it hurts my soul to see him in any kind of pain.

Next, he does not always get what he wants- he's been known to throw a fit, but it NEVER works. Sometimes we have to compromise, but he never gets what he wants by throwing himself to the ground and kicking his feet... In fact I don't even know how kids figure out how to do this- must be some brat at daycare... Anyway, he's spoiled in the "right" ways- by grandparents- but he will grow up just like my brother and I- knowing not to take things for granted and always having enough to get by easily, but not too much so as not to appreciate it.

When he gets older, he will learn how to do laundry, clean his room, somewhat fend for himself in the kitchen, and maybe even iron one day (or at least learn how to set the dryer to get the general idea of wrinkles out of his clothes). Don't get me wrong, I'll be there, and honestly will probably still do his laundry, because that is one of my huge pet peeves; I've decided there is a chromosome that males have that tells them wadding clothes up and stuffing them in a drawer is the correct way to store them. But, at least, when he gets to college, he will not have to bring home baskets of clothes for me to wash each weekend!

Honestly, I love my son with all my heart and soul, and my daughter the same way, and I really would probably be OK if they never grew up and I could carry on doing their laundry, scoooping them up with every tiny cry and cooking their every meal. But, I know that the day will come when I have to watch them go to college, take their vows, and start a family of their own (yes, I'm tearing up right this second), and I want them to succeed in every endeavor they ever take on. And I want them to WANT me around for those things- not need me!

I have a very close friend who married a Mama's Boy. Unfortunately we did not know how serious the situation was, and it got even worse once they got married. His mother ruined their marriage. I cannot imagine knowing I was responsible for my child losing the person they once thought was the love of their life because of ME. So, in my continued efforts to raise strong, independent children, I will cry more times over letting them go than they will ever know- but it doesn't matter because that's what moms are supposed to do, right? If it's this hard when they're almost 2 years and 3 months, how the hell am I going to get through the first day of school???