Wow, Is That My Son?

My son is a constant source of amazement to me. I don't know how people can say that boys and girls are the same when they are born and then taught to act gender specific. There is absolutely NO WAY! My son came into this world ALL BOY (and I didn't understand what that meant until he got here), and he continues to act that way - despite his three older sisters. He will sit down to play Barbies with them, for about 2 sec, and then he is back to his trains and cars. He is obsessed with balls - hitting, kicking and throwing them. He chases his sisters around with sticks and bats, just to hear them scream. We went to an anniversary party a few weeks back, and everyone of my girls had a scab or scratch on their face from their brother. One of them had a fat lip too. I have never had the baby beat up the older kids like this before.

Don't get me wrong, though, he is not a monster. In fact, I think he is more cuddly and loving than any of my girls were at this age. And he is smart as a whip. We were watching him in amazement last night as he figured out how to swing himself. We were sitting around my parents' backyard, and he kept getting Grandpa Bevans to go swing him. But, it was getting harder and harder to get any adult to go with him. So, he figured out how to do it himself. I looked over at the swing set and Benjamin was sitting on a swing, with nobody else around him, swinging. I asked my dad if he had put Benjamin on the swing, and he said no. So I asked other people, but no one had helped him. Then, as we were watching him, he got off the swing and walked around to the end of the swing set. My 18 month old proceeded to swing himself on the end bar, catch the chains of the swing with his feet, pull the swing towards him, slip his feet over the seat of the swing and then let go of the bar and grab the chains with his hands. He fell off a few times, but proceeded to do it over and over until he didn't. Then he would swing for a minute, slide off and do it all over again. We all just watched him dumbfounded. I don't know how he thought that one up, but I can tell that life with him is going to be quite the ride. I admit that I wanted a fourth girl (greedy, I know, but having five younger brothers can you blame me?), but I think the Lord knew I needed some spice in my life with this little ball of energy. I love him so much! I wouldn't give him up for anything. In fact, I can't imagine life without him. But...I am glad he's not twins :)