Be thankful, moms with boys

Often I rattle on in my columns about the pros and cons of having all girls and the differences in my house versus those all boy households. I'm sure these topics will continue, as is my life, but since we just had Easter, I was reminded of one of the cons of having all daughters. Something I've been dealing with for years but I guess sort of forget sometimes because I don't know any different. But anyway, for all those moms out there who just have sons, next time you have an occasion to get your family ready for, be it a holiday or just church on Sunday, be thankful you're the ONLY female in the house!

I mean it! In honor of me and all the moms with only daughters, get down on your knees, the next time you're in the bathroom getting ready by yourself with all the time in the world, and say a word of thanks that you've been blessed with just sons. Sons that basically just have to take a bath, get dressed, brush teeth and out the door they go. Be thankful that you don't have four heads of hair to either curl, straighten, braid or find the perfect clip for that exactly matches their dress. You know, my daughters always ask me why I don't ever do anything different with my hair and are always quick to point out some other moms who wear their hair in the latest styles. I remind them of the hours I spent braiding their abnormally thick heads of hair so that it was curly for the first day of school or the 45 minutes it took to ringlet curl every inch of my 7-year old's head for a 20 minute choir concert. And I know those were special occasions but every Sunday morning for sure and most weekdays, their hair takes priority and I'm last in line so I'm lucky if my hair is washed and somewhat presentable for the day.

Moms of all boys, relish in the fact that your makeup sits in the drawer ready for you and only you to apply it and that your children haven't ran off with it or left it at school or dropped it and didn't bother to tell you it was ruined leaving you to rummage through years old play makeup to use as a replacement till you can get to the store. (Don't judge me for wearing Barbie eye shadow in desperation. It's been done.)

Delight in the fact that you actually get to spend a significant amount of time choosing an outfit. And I would define "significant", but I actually have no concept of how much time is even available to choose outfits for moms because it's always last minute for me. And I use the term "outfit", because the moms I know that have all boys actually have "outfits" that they purchased as an actual "outfit". My clothing choices in those mornings are strictly based on what's ironed and within reach. This of course is chosen with minutes left before we have to leave since I spend a majority of my morning helping my girls choose between a number of outfit options. You'd think the older two girls wouldn't need my assistance anymore, nor care, but oh no, every Sunday morning they ask me for help and if I blow them off, they get all dramatic and you definitely don't want that on a special event morning so I do my best to act interested and complimentary, which leaves me looking like the forgotten stepchild by the time we walk out the door, while those three all look like they stepped out of a magazine.

I don't know, maybe it's just me. I'm sort of a Plain Jane anyway, and probably wouldn't know how to pick out a real "outfit" if I tried and I admit I'm clueless when it comes to doing my hair, and most times don't even care. However, when I see these moms with all boys walk into church or a wedding or whatever the occasion is and they look like a million bucks, I admit I feel a little like chopped liver and wish I would have taken just a few more minutes to spruce up a bit. Oh well, it is what it is, I always say and I certainly wouldn't trade my girls for anything, but I just thought I'd remind those moms with boys to be a little more thankful next time when they're getting ready on those special mornings and forgive me when I walk in with my less than stylish hair and a thrown together outfit. It's not my fault....