All boys, or just my boy?

I noticed at Christmas that I had a much more difficult time coming up with stocking stuffers for B than I did for H.

And telling other people what to get him.

But that's really how it's been since birth.

I thought maybe it was just me who had a harder time with coming up with gift ideas, until J returned home from Hawaii yesterday for a few days and brought B a little airplane and H a flower clip and looked at me and said, "You have no idea how hard it is to find something for B!"

Oh, but I do!

Since we don't do most plastics,  unless I know they're for sure safe (Green Toys, Lego, a few others), that limits a lot of "traditional" boy toys like super her figurines, etc. He was really into trains for a short time, and maybe he'll like them again, but it seems that shipped sailed, and fast!

He has a handful of cars and trucks, but honestly, H plays with them more than he does.

He likes to paint. And destroy things.

Okay, mostly he just likes to destroy things.

And build things.

H plays with her toy food. She loves her baby dolls and could spend all day dressing them up. She could spend all day dressing herself up, ha!

B likes dress up. He likes to dance with H. He likes to help me cook. He loves reading. He really loves watching TV, but I won't typically let him do that all day.

He loves his instruments. Like really loves those.

But when it comes to a time where it's appropriate to buy the kids gifts, I'm just clueless with him.

I've been getting a head start on Easter Baskets this year (not really, since it's like 2 weeks away!). I got some great ideas from friends who suggested outdoor things I'd be buying anyway. Bubbles, (lead-safe) chalk, etc. And I will for sure get some for their baskets.

And I ordered B some Bubble Guppies pjs and H a matching outfit for her and a baby doll. I picked up a firetruck for B from a friend since he's really into firetrucks at the moment, and I will likely go get H the child-sized Ergo for her dolls. And there was a necklace I wanted to grab for her, and maybe a few outfits for her dolls because that's easy.

But B? I don't know. What else do I put in his basket?

What else, just in general?

And it would be one thing if this were the only time I had this dilemma, but it's all the time.

He's just so different from H. Which is a great and beautiful thing. I love B to pieces and the amazing, crazy person he is.

But H is my speed. She's so much like me, but better, that I feel like I totally know what to do with her all the time.

B, not so much. Most days I feel like someone put me in a car, blind, during a blizzard, and said not to cross the yellow line.

Yeah, okay.

So I guess the truth is, it goes deeper than just stuff. Obviously.

He's this awesome little boy. Who keeps me on my toes for certain. Opinionated, sweet, an absolute monkey.

But he's still a conundrum to me.

But I guess I've never understood boys anyway. Just because he's mine shouldn't really make it any different, eh?