I love having a little boy. I've always been more of a guy's girl than a girl's girl, so Jude and I have tons of rough and tumble, cars and ninja fun. But I have to admit- I am very very thankful to have had a little girl.
When we found out at our sonogram so long ago, that we were having a boy when I was pregnant with Jude- Taylor got a little teary-eyed. Ok, I'll say it. The man cried. Not like a baby, but there was definitely some man weeping going on. It was super cute how moved he was. I was of course stoked and emotional myself- but not like my husband.
All men want to have a son. It's just the way that it is.
The day that we found out we were having a girl at our sonogram last December, I finally got what the big deal was... I felt whatever it was that Taylor felt when we found out Jude was Jude.
I think about this every time I get all excited to make Baby Mochi a new headband, or browse through her closet and accessories, searching for something to doll her up in, or hugging her close to me while she sits in my lap while we watch Taylor and Jude play all crazy-like in the living room.
I was over the moon to find out I was having a little girl. Finally- another female in the house to relate to- someone on my team (besides D'Arcy the cat and Gretchen the dog of course)! Especially now that my baby boy is getting bigger and older and growing more and more into a little guy, wanting to do "guy stuff" and have "guy time" with Taylor, as we call it.
He's every day more and more the little dude, not just my baby (although I remind him daily, "Who's my baby doll?" and he replies, "Pookie is. Gabriel Jude Hines.")
That's right- and don't you forget it! We even have a song. It goes,
Me: "Myyyyy Pookie. And nobody else's Pookie...only Mommy's Pookie- and sometimes Daddy's Pookie- but mostly Mommy's Pookie!"
I sing this to him and hug him close and rock him around while he rests his head on my shoulder and pats his little hand on my back, as if already acknowledging in a teenage eye-rolling way that his mother is a total nerd.
But he loves that song. It's a pretty big hit. I know he likes it because when he's feeling especially defiant with his dad, he'll stamp his foot and declare, "No- I Mommy's Pookie! Not Daddy's!"
Now in turn, Taylor sings the song to Vivienne (better known as Baby Mochi) while he's holding her, and I don't mind. He needs an ally in this situation. His song goes,
Taylor: "Myyyyy Mochi. And nobody else's Mochi... only Daddy's Mochi- and sometimes Mommy's Mochi- but mostly Daddy's Mochi!"
Yeah, so we're big dorks around here- and that's ok- because you know you do it to your kids (and if no kids, definitely your pets!) too.
Today Mochi and I had self-portrait mommy and daughter photos outside while we got some sun in this beautiful fall weather- and I enjoyed the both of us finally getting to break out our girlie knit hats and boots and sweaters. I took these pictures the old "Myspace way" because no one ever takes my picture with her.
When it comes to pictures- people always want photos of themselves holding your baby, or with each other holding your baby, but rarely photos of your baby with his/her mommy.
Mothers deserve to be photographed holding their babies every once and awhile. Hell, we only sacrifice our bodies and energy creating the baby, carrying the baby and raising the baby- why wouldn't we want to be photographed with them?
We want to be in pictures with them too so we don't only have to resort to wearing our arms out doing the following just to be documented with them:
