Fearless

As a mom, I really want to raise my boys to be independent, confident, and generally nice men. But independence and confidence - or in Maddox's case, fearlessness - comes WAY before I'm really comfortable with it. Maddox is so confident in his little world - he is not scared of anything - except for his irrational fear of the vacuum. Go figure.

Case in point: I hosted a play group at my house last week. Maddox (who is 20 months!) decided to take his new friend Summit (just turned 2) by the hand down to the barn to show him the kitties. I followed at a safe distance, and heard Maddox meowing to Summit, tugging his had as they toddled down the hill. Neither of them had a clue that I was following.

So they get to the barn, and try to catch the kitties. Maddox of course grabs the black kitten around the stomach, and hefts him up (upside down) and takes him over to Summit to pet. (The kitten just put up with it - good kitty).

Then they saw the horses. Little legs churned in their effort to get close. Maddox kept calling the horses, so instead of meowing, I now hear cries of "Sorse! Sorse!" Had I not intervened at this point, there is no doubt in my mind that my 30 pound toddler would be climbing through the electric fence to hug the leg of my 2000 pound draft "sorse."

Absolutely terrifying. Makes me want to turn on the vacuum.