The Girl has always been boy crazy. Since she has been in school, at age three, she has always had a boy she's crushing on. In Kindergarten it reached an all time high when the boy she was crushing on also had eyes for her. Her teacher thought it was pretty cute/funny when she would catch the two of them holding hands in class. Me? not so much.
The Little Man is very different in this area than his sister. He is more concerned about taking down the universe with machine guns and light sabers with anyone who is willing to help. Anyone, except for a girl.
There is no room in The Little Man's world for girls that are friends. None whatsoever. In fact, last year, I asked him about a little girl who kept saying hello to him each day at drop off at school. I thought for sure they had been playmates during their days together in class, since each time he would come into the room she would drop whatever she was doing and come welcome him to class. His response to her was always nice, and he would even do the whole cool "Man" voice thing with her when they spoke. You know the one, where guys drop their voice a few octaves and somehow make it sound a little tougher than it really is. I was shocked when he responded, "EWWW, Mom!! That's so gross! She's a girl! Of course I don't play with her. Hello!" when I asked him about her.
I've asked a few times if he is friends with a certain girl who I see him talking to whether at school or church, and he always has that same answer and look of disgust each and every time. So, finally I stopped asking. I figured he was just a typical boy who thought all girls had cooties.
Today, as we pulled into the parking lot of the neighborhood pool, The Girl noticed a car that belongs to a school friend (she memorizes peoples license plates so she always knows when someone she knows is around. Freaky, I know.) in the parking lot. This particular friend has been at the pool a handful of times this summer while we have been there along with her two younger sisters. After The Girl loudly announced that her friend was there at the pool and how excited she was that she would have someone to play with, The Little Man got grumpy.
p: Oh no! Not Anna! No!
me: You don't have to hang out with her if you don't want to. You can go swim somewhere else.
p: I think I have something to tell you guys, but you have to swear not to tell anyone. It's a secret.
me: What? What do you mean you have a secret?
p: I'm not going to say anything unless you guys tell me you won't tell anyone, K?
The Girl and I: OK we won't tell!
p: I think I have a girlfriend!
The Girl explodes with laughter.
Which totally made him feel so much better about his confession.
OK, I snickered a little bit too. If you could have just heard the tone in his voice. It was priceless. He was feeling so defeated by crossing over to the "Dark Side". MWAHAHAHA!
me: A Girlfriend?
p: (looking down in his lap) Yes, I think I have a girlfriend.
d: (still laughing uncontrollably)
me: Who?
p: you know how Anna has a sister?
me: Yes.
p: Well, I like to play with her.
me: Do you think she is pretty?
p: NO! MOM! Gosh! I just like to play with her. She's fun.
me: OH! So she's just a girl that is a friend?
p: Yes! I have a girl friend. Don't tell ANYONE, OK?
The Girl is still in fits of laughter.
me: Sister! Stop laughing at him. It's OK that he has a girl that is a friend. You play with boys all the time and no one laughs at you.
p: PLEASE don't tell! It's a secret.
me: OK I won't tell anyone. Don't worry. (meanwhile I am crafting this blog post in my brain. Is that a lie?) Sister! Do you promise not to tell?
d: Yes! I won't tell (as she giggles)
me: Sister! I'm serious. Don't say a word of this to anyone. It will embarrass your brother. I know you would be pretty upset if I told your crushes that you liked them.
p: She is just a GIRL that is a FRIEND. OK?
After everyone promised that they would keep it a secret. We got ourselves together and headed into the pool. Of course, The Girl ran right up to her friend to let her know that she was here. Her little sister came up to The Little Man and she said "Hello". Out came The Little Man's "Man" voice as he greeted her, and off they went.
They played together happily for TWO HOURS. They talked, they walked, and they swam. It was pretty cute. As we got ready to head out, he even asked me when we could set up a play date with this little girl.
I know.
A whole new world has opened for The Little Man. I'll be curious as we start school this next year, how many other girls will be allowed in. That's how I'll measure the seriousness of this relationship.
He could have just gotten wrapped up in a Summer Fling.
Pool water does crazy things to people.
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