Life with boys

snips and snails and puppy dogs tails. And such are little boys made of.

These are lyrics from an old English children’s rhyme from the mid-1800s.

For as long as mothers have been having children, they have been aware of stark differences between having little boys and having little girls. Although not all children can be stereotyped and there are certainly exceptions to every rule, mothers with a houseful of girls are different from mothers with a houseful of boys, just as those with some of each have their own tales to tell.

Understanding the words to the rhyme can be hard, unless you have boys. If you’re blessed to be the mother of an active, adventurous, energetic, curious and fearless little boy, you know there isn’t a frog he meets that he won’t pick up and play with, or forget that a snail is a fascinating creature that must be held, examined and promptly taken in to mom to share and that the tail of a puppy is the best way to get a dog’s attention.

The verse may be old school, but in its simplest form it’s still perfectly accurate. In no way is this meant to say that having one kind of child over another is any way better or worse: it’s just different.

It’s a good different that every mom tries to adapt to, to the best of her ability.

Amy Neeb of Lehighton is one of these “adaptable” moms. As the mother of Jacob, 12; Joshua, 10; and Ethan, 5, she is fully immersed in life with boys.

“I’m so used to it that I don’t even think about it anymore. I think I have adapted well,” says Neeb.

“I don’t think they are much different from I was when I was a kid, so it actually wasn’t too hard to adjust to. We have friends with ‘all boy’ families, so it’s good to share stories at times, plus it seems that the majority of my friends have more boys than girls, so we fit right in.”

Neeb is an active mom who loves being outside and spending time exploring with her family.

“We like to play games, swim, go out to eat and just relax and watch television together. When we take vacations, they are really a lot of fun. We seem to be on the go from morning until night. We all have a blast and it’s nice to be able to spend time together without the stresses of housework and all of the other things that come up during everyday life,” says Neeb.

“The boys get along well. There are normal fights, but for the most part they look out for each other,” she says. “I have an older brother, and we always got along well, so I am grateful my boys have the same kind of relationship.”

“Boys will be boys,” is a phrase Neeb knows all too well.

Whether it’s a well-meaning stranger uttering those words after a mysterious shelf falls in the grocery store or a grandparent laughingly reminds her of this when three muddy boys go running through the house, it can be an accurate portrayal of life with three sons.

Life with four sons, age 7 and under, can also be a pretty hectic for Trista Hutchinson, who now lives in North Carolina, and was born and raised in Lehighton.

After high school, Hutchinson spent nine years in the U.S. Air Force and had three of her four sons during that time.

Ethan, 7; Milo, 5; Patrick, 4; and Elias, 2, are now the soul focus of this honorably discharged stay-at-home mom.

“It is tough sometimes,” says Hutchinson. “Even our dog and cat are boys, so I definitely feel outnumbered, but there is never a dull moment.

“Our vacations are hectic, to say the least. My husband and I are constantly going in four different directions. We just took them to Knoebels over the weekend and Milo was upset because he wasn’t big enough for some rides, and Ethan was upset because he was too big for some rides. But fortunately they all love riding in the car. They feel like every time we get in the car there will be an adventure.”

Hutchinson feels very lucky to be living where they do.

“We are only two hours from Myrtle Beach, so we love to go there as a family whenever we have the chance.”

As the boys get older, that might not always be the case.

“They are too young for sports for now, although Milo loves soccer, so I’m sure once he is old enough, the running will begin,” says Hutchinson.

“But for now, I love the freedom of their ages that we can just pick up and go and that there doesn’t have to be much structure, especially in the summer months.”

Trista is visiting with her grandmother, Marilyn Frey, for the next few weeks and loves the flexibility of coming back “home” to visit with her Lehighton family and friends.

“In the military, there is so much structure, which I liked and has given me the ability to structure the boys when I need to but I also like the fact that with four little boys and four different personalities, if there isn’t structure, it’s still OK,” says Hutchinson.

“I was in the maintenance field of the Air Force. I was a ‘nondestructive inspector,’ which means I inspected the aircrafts and its engines for defects. Because I was part of maintenance, I worked with mostly men, so if anything in my life has prepared me for life with four boys (a husband and male pets) it has been that.

“I don’t really get much ‘girl time’ right now, my time is all for them,” says Trista.

“I look back sometimes and remember that I had always thought I wanted a girl, but after having my boys, I find myself being thankful and unable to imagine how a little girl would fit into all of this craziness,” says Hutchinson.

“The boys love puzzles and blocks and trucks and putting things together. And right now they love taking things apart. I love that right now it’s just us doing things together, not running around to different activities.”

Neeb is definitely in the “running around” stage.

“Jacob participates in baseball and basketball. Josh enjoys basketball, track and has done baseball as well and Ethan loves playing soccer,” she says. “It’s such a great experience for them all though, because they get to meet new friends, learn how to work as a team, and my husband Mike and all of our families really enjoy cheering them on.”

Both Neeb and Hutchinson share the same sentiment about their boys.

“It’s amazing to see how different they are from one another and how special they are,” says Neeb.

“I love how much they are the same, but how different they can be as well,” says Hutchinson.

“It’s wonderful being able to see them enjoying their childhood every day,” says Neeb. “I am so lucky to have them as my sons.”