My new favorite Boy Band

Boys

Let me just start out by saying that I love my son dearly. He is handsome-- looks just like his daddy-- intelligent and very loving. But I have to say that the intricacies of the male mind are far, far beyond me. I have a hard enough time figuring out what makes my husband tick and he can talk, suppress inappropriate anti-social behavior and is toilet-trained. Judah is making me doubt my qualification for mature-adult-able-to-deal-with-children status. I'm not saying that Sofi (at age one-and-a-half) was a piece of cake, but here are some things I'd just like to know about boys:

• 
  
• Why do they wake up every morning greeting you with their entire vocabulary of animal sounds? A simple kiss would be fine.
  
• 
  
• Why is his default animal sound a growl? Cats, pigs, dogs, horses, sheep-- all growl... (eta: apparently penguins growl, too, as of this afternoon)
  
• 
  
• Why is his reaction to (pretty much any kind of) music to run at full tilt from one end of the house to other until he crashes, cry for hugs and kisses and then go do it again?
  
• 
  
• Why is every toy tested for sound by banging it against (if I'm lucky) his head or (if unlucky) the nearest head belonging to (A) a small child, or (B) a strange adult?
  
• 
  
• Why does his sweet nature express itself in a need to greet every young child he meets by putting them into an affectionate headlock and then lying down on them? This is not so popular with the mommies. (Thanks, Jessie, for being so patient about it. I hope Gabe is not suffering any ill-effects?)
  
• 
  
• What is the fascination with driving trucks up and down adult bodies?
  
• 
  
• Do bananas really need to be squished entirely into mush before being thrown on the floor in rejection of them as a food source?
  

Seriously though. I covet your prayers. I do not want to frustrate my son, or turn him into a girl. But for the past seven years, ours has been a very quiet, sedate household and I really don't know how to channel all this energy into something constructive and good for him. 

Would y'all please add some of the things you wonder about your boys? And any conclusions you've come to are welcome, too.

Ben and Jeremiah's Man-Date

The guys went out to see "The Dark Knight" together and we women stayed home with the chilluns. Here's the documentary:

Jeremiah tried to "shot-block" the "wife-arazzi", but I was just toooo good.

Aha! Ben, what happened to your face? Something's growing on it!!?? Jeremiah fleeing the camera...

Aw, man, he didn't open the door for you! Chivalry is dead. *sigh*

Final shot. Luckily he's not wearing a mini-skirt...

I know, I know, keep it G-rated....