Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

By: Samantha S. Daviss

I have always said that I was meant to be a “boy mom”. And I am sure glad I feel that way with three little boys running around my house, plus all of their friends. In fact we have designed our new house with nothing but boys in mind.

It is going to be a great “forever home”, but we have also been quite aware of all the boys, dirt and noise that is going to be traveling through our new home to build upon so many great memories in the years to come. We have even designed it in hopes that one day it is filled with tons of grandchildren running around and making lots of noise and having fun.

But as they say “Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice”; while “Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails are what little boys are made of”. And it is so very true.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t come home to shoes everywhere in the house, dirty clothes, and empty snack bowls. But the best part of my day is coming home to a new invention or creation by my guys. It is either built out of Legos, building blocks or just items they have found around the house. One summer our oldest had a broken arm, and to keep himself entertained he would build these amazing Lego systems that transformed from thousands of pieces into amazing objects like airplanes, or cars, or trucks.

The middle one right now is big into creating a scene. Just the other night he built and created an entire restaurant to offer us food, ice cream, pizza, you name it he had it there. But not only was the food there, so were all the walls and chairs and everything a restaurant might need.

And the little one is into inventing. He can connect, attached, build or create anything with a truck, a dog leash, and some twigs. And he is all set with a brand new airport, race track, you name it he can invent it. He has always been my block stacker and creator, even as a baby.

Even though sometimes at night I am utterly exhausted and just want to fall into my bed, I realize I have to move the ray gun, the dump truck, and the bike helmet off my bed before I can snuggle down for a good night’s rest. But deep down, even though there are those nights I just want to go to bed, I know I will miss all the toys, the messes and memories of these guys using their imaginations all the time.

But last night I hit an all-time new…I can’t say low, or high, but it was new. After my husband and I finished talking about our day and getting caught up, I rolled over to fall asleep and something brushed up against my leg. I reached down to pull it out and turned on the lamp, and found that I had a twig in my bed. So you may think that I am the worst housekeeper on the planet, or that I live with a bunch of little boys. And I have to say I am going to go with the latter. Little boys are sweet, loving, precocious, inventive and just fun to watch and be around, but you never know what they may leave in their wake of destruction.

I cherish every day I have them at home with me, they are my light, my smile and my happiness; even if I do happen to find nature in the foot of my bed every once in a while.