The big TWO!!
Long before Daphne was born I thought of myself as a “Boy Mom.” To be honest, I really had no interest in becoming a mother to a girl. I grew up with sisters, had lots of nieces, and felt as though I was always around a lot of women in general. Strangely, people would often assume because I am a woman I would want a girl, but nothing could have been farther from the truth.
After our first son unexpectedly passed away I ached for another little baby- a baby boy that is. As my nursery and dresser were filled with boy’s clothes I was delighted when we found out we were having another boy. It was not as if a girl would have not helped fill the gigantic hole in my heart; I just had in my head I was a “boy Mom”. Once Jasper arrived on the scene I delighted in every interest of his which was diametrically opposed to mine. I learned the names of construction equipment, the various makes and models of cars, and noticed every trash truck. fire truck and ambulance for miles. I was in the thick of boyhood and loving every minute of it!
As time marched on I started to doubt whether or not we would be able to have another child and yet still I never cared or longed for a girl. Once I found out I was pregnant again I secretly hoped for another boy. When we found out early on we were having a girl I was a bit disappointed not because I did not want a girl but because I had in my head I was a “boy Mom”.
The moment Daphne was placed on my chest all my fears of having a girl quickly melted away. She would not have to enjoy playing with dolls or want to be a princess she could be herself and I would support her as best I could in that endeavor. So here we are celebrating Daphne’s second birthday where all she wanted was a dinosaur cake, pizza, party hats, and spotting as many motorcycles as she could.
Now we live in a world where she is not a “Tom Boy” but just a girl who likes cool stuff. We live in a world where being a girl means you can not only LIKE but be ANYTHING you want to be. I am proud to be a woman and even prouder to be raising a bright, bold, energetic little lady alongside her brother.
Whenever I am out with her in public people often stop and say, “She is a force” and it pleases me to no end people notice her not for her looks, but for her spirit and her potential. My girl is a force, a flower-smelling, scooter-riding, bean-loving force. And to think I used to think of myself as only a “boy mom”.
