This is my husband and his mini-me, our son.

They are the same in a lot of ways! Personality, activity level, tastes, how they relate to others, but it is in their physical appearance that they are the most obviously similar. They are both built big, my big boy and my big man ❤
Our son often gets mistaken for being older than he is. For example, he just turned three and he is the height and weight of the average 5 year old boy. It can be hard for him, because adults expect more of him than he is able.
I love being a boy mom. I love playing cars, building towers, throwing balls, splashing in the pool, running constantly, playing chase/tag, jumping off stuff, all that active “boy stuff”.

When our daughter was born, we were keen on teaching him a very important word: Gentle.

We learned something important in teaching our son to be gentle. That is: he is still a boy. He can be gentle, but not in the same way a little girl is going to be gentle. It’s not necessarily going to come naturally for him. Being gentle seems like no fun, like he’s in trouble for just playing, like we don’t like the way he plays.
We’ve also learned something about his personality: he is extremely caring for others. He wants everyone to be happy and playing together. He does not like it if someone is crying or upset, he really can’t go back to playing until the other person’s issue is resolved.
He’s a tenderhearted bull in a china shop!

My husband has been a great example to him of how to be gentle. Our son loves to imitate the “big people” in his life. Grandparents, uncles, teachers, and especially Daddy. He has some great role models in his life. All these men are considerate of others, prefer the needs of others before themselves. They are great at helping our son be gentle, and still run around and play.

These are not even all the men speaking and acting in honorable ways in front of my son. It’s a wonderful blessing!

In parenting, I always like to have a solid “why” for everything I tell my kids to do (or not do). God always gives us reasons for obeying Him, so it only makes sense that I do the same for my kids. So, why be gentle? Because it’s not about you, my son. Gentle is considering other people, before himself. Gentle is looking around, and seeing that there are others around him, affected by what he does. Gentle is seeing his sister crying and bringing her favorite baby doll to cheer her up.

In November, we are expecting our third baby, another girl. I’m very excited!
I’m not as nervous this time about my son being gentle with his new baby sister. He’s still a boy, and will want her to play cars with him instead of dolls. He’s already taught one sister how to kick and throw, and with his personality, making sure everyone is included is a huge thing. He joins with his sister now in playing with her baby dolls, so that he is included in what she is doing.

I love my son, and I’m excited to see him grow up with his little sisters following right behind him. God has big plans for this kid, I know it. ❤

 

 

“O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you; I will praise your name,
for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.”
Isaiah 25:1

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”
1 Timothy 6:11

 

Soli Deo Gloria!