Toots and Tu-Tu's

Ahhh, boys and girls.

What are little boys made of? "Rats and snails and puppy dog tails..."

What are little girls made of? "Sugar and spice and everything nice..."

I love how God created us so differently; it's like the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang. Two opposites that are actually designed to go perfectly together.

I love the stories that I read on Facebook about the lives of my friends and their children, especially when the antics are demonstrating the differences between boys and girls! I believe it was my friend Janelle with the story of finding a dead gecko from her son, in the washing machine, AFTER she'd washed a load. So she had to pick out the pieces before re-washing the load. My friend Amy has a son, Jake, who is my son's age and I think they are non-biological twins. Hectic, hyper, crazy....their stories are never-ending and they are only three. I think it's funny how my friend Cheyenne had such a sweet and nice little girl to fool her into a calm complacency and then BOOM - Huck arrived and from the sound of it, this little ball of masculine energy keeps Cheyenne on her toes.

I am sooooo not an expert in the psychology of children! But I do have two; a boy and a girl, and have learned some things so far.

Boys are hyper, more energetic, and in my opinion, more destructive in their play. Oh, they may not mean to be destructive but it just comes out that way. They take things apart, throw things, and are loud.

Girls seem to be calmer, quieter, and more focused in playing. They make a mess too, but it is usually with more purpose.

Here are some examples:

Samuel (my three year old son), thinks it's hilarious to toot loudly. He'll laugh and sometimes even point to his rear. This is embarrassing to me. I hope he's not doing this when he's a teenager. Olivia quietly poos, usually while hiding in the closet.

Samuel hears someone mowing outside and almost kills himself getting to the door so he can watch. Olivia hears the loud noise and almost kills herself running to the safest place in the house, far away from any doors or windows.

Messy. Loud. All boy.

Samuel hurls his toys around the room as he's playing; is this to see how they land? To hear the sound they make as they crash? I don't get it. Olivia selects a few toys and carries them around before finding the exact place to put them; the hamper, cabinets, or toy box. Yes, she already picks up our shoes and puts them in the closet. She picks up clothes and puts them in the hamper.

Samuel finishes the day covered in dust, scrapes, and dirty fingernails. He looks like he's been doing construction in mud. Olivia looks like an angel as she floats around the house in one of her tu-tu's. Her toes are kissably clean.

Little girl dancing in her tu-tu at church.

Samuel stomps through the house. Olivia prances and bounces on her tippy-toes.

Samuel has a Cars backpack that is already missing two straps from him dragging it around. Olivia has a purse collection and they are carefully stored in a drawer. She loves to go select one to carry around the house, looped over her crooked elbow.

Samuel marked on his Curious George and there are bite marks on George's nose. Olivia keeps her dollies in her bed or carries one around cradled in her arms; handy for the occasional hug.

Don't you love your little tooting boys though? And your angelic tu-tu angels? God's way of balancing the Universe.