Letting it Go

So, I LOVE having a boy.  When I knew I was having a boy I was overjoyed....something about having a little guy running around, exploring the world and of course, I was going to try to raise a mama's boy :-) I have already told him that he can stay at home as long as he wants!  Love my son!!!!  That being said......I try to be a pretty laid back mom, letting Jack do his thing and I like to jump in and enjoy his moments with him.  Jack is now at the stage where he is walking very comfortably and wandering where his little heart desires.  Well, we took Jack to a park in Prescott that was completely empty, so he had the whole space to himself and he wandered onto the baseball diamond which had red dirt.  Red dirt.  Plop, he sat in the RED dirt and proceeded to rub his hands in the stuff.  Awesome.  ****Did I mention I am obsessive about keeping Jack clean? I wipe the kid down for every runny nose, dribble, crumb and smear.  I refuse to have my boy running around looking like a ragamuffin :-)****

Vanessa, let it go.  He's a little boy who is going to get messy.  Let it go!

And that's when Brian saw the look on my face and told me what I just told myself - he's a little boy who will get dirty.  It's as if Jack knew what our dialog was about and he smeared the red dirt on his face.

Vanessa, don't run and get the wipes.  Let it go!

Hands went back in the dirt and he looked up at us with his beautiful blond mop of a head and his smile consisting of four teeth.  Our Fuss (one of his many nicknames) was having a ball!  He was dirty but he was having a ball :-)  Speaking of balls....

There was this red waffle ball that was in two pieces that Jack found in the grass and now it was Brian's turn to let go as the guy is a huge germaphobe.  So we let him squat down and grab the fascinating red plastic pieces and he continued to walk around with them for the next 20 minutes.  

This was a particularly windy and chilly day so soon after this picture was taken (another fish face to add to our collection) we decided to head on home and I had to give myself a little pat on the back - after wiping Jack's face and hands - for letting my little boy be a little boy.  Thank you to Brian who reminded me that by letting our son experience red dirt and foreign objects, it helps him become a big boy and it is GOOD for him!  Thank you to my boys for being patient with me and teaching me how to be a better mommy.