22 Weeks with Lessons to Learn

The thought of raising a son brings on a huge cloud of responsibility, but yet a ray of opportunity.  I have this enormous opportunity to mold my son into everything that a man is supposed to be. As I pondered this subject, I came up with the top lessons I want to teach my son.

No, you can't always get what you want because you are a man. How do I teach this? I simply start by not giving you everything you want (this will begin at a reasonable age, of course).

Yes, you can be artistically and musically inclined and still be considered masculine. Yes, your father has amazing athletic ability and will most likely get you involved with soccer as soon as you arrive home from the hospital. But, you have to remember that you have a musically inclined mother who will always be encouraging you to explore the arts. And hopefully, we can soon be the proud owners of an upright piano to encourage your exploration even more. How do I teach this? Well, we will continue our family nightly routine of singing and dancing before bedtime.

Don't be afraid to be yourself. Eventually, son, you will know who you are. As long as your heart is pure and your intentions are good, let your true self pour out. How do I teach this? I will let you play with barbies, enroll in dance lessons, or play football. There will be no limitations to what you can do (that is, unless you want your lip pierced - mama will put her foot down with that one). The world is yours for the taking, son. My dad wasn't afraid to give us girls a hammer to help him build and my mom wasn't afraid to show my brother how to cook, do laundry, and clean. Gender stereotypes don't mean a thing in this family.

Don't ever - and I mean ever - lead someone on. You'll know when it's right. You'll know when it's not working anymore. So stop it. How do I teach this? By modeling that although it's sometimes not easy to tell the truth, the truth will literally set you free. It's OK to have failed relationships, it's OK to break hearts, and it's OK to have your heart broken. Those experiences are all a part of finding your soul mate - those experiences are what brought your daddy and I together.

And finally...
Be a man of integrity. Be a man that people can trust. And don't forget to thank God daily for everything with which you have been blessed.

Oh, and always put the seat down.

My Sweet Papaya

Well, I can say with confidence that we officially have your name. Maybe next week your daddy will officially let me share it. We're calling you by it daily. Lidia no longer refers to you as baby peanut, but by your name. Let's just say you're going to be our little Lion King.

You are now experiencing sleep cycles like a baby. I can definitely tell when you are asleep and when you are awake. When I was cooking dinner tonight, you decided to drop kick my bladder, in which I yelled out in pain. I'm curious as to how you are positioned right now. I always try to envision which body part of yours is doing the beating on my insides.

It's time for your mama to sign off now. Goodnight my love! Keep growing healthy and we will keep praying for you.