Bowl of Mush!

Chase and Ryder are hardly girl crazy, but they like girls. They find them "pretty" and know they should hold a door for a girl and, whether or not they follow such rules, that farting in front of a girl is a no-no. They seem to know that girls like flowers and compliments and a day never passes that they don't telll me I am the most beautiful woman in the world.  Chase especially has a way of knowing the right thing to say.

When they were babies Chase favored the ladies. Me, either of the Mom-Moms, any of my girlfriends. He knew even in his preemie state that if he flashed his dimples and batted his eyelashes he could get away with almost anything. Cool Ryder favored the dudes. He was a man's little man right from the start.   I was the only exception to that rule. He would hang out, chill with daddy, in Uncle Dave's lap, Uncle Rob's, Uncle Chad's. He would always ask for the daddy's of his friends. That was Ryder, already learning to play hard to get.

Now that they are pre-schoolers not much has changed. Ryder hangs with the boys but says his girlfriend is Jessica. Adorable Jessica is bright and sarcastic and silly and thinks superheroes are the coolest thing on the planet. She is, actually, perfect for Ryder.
Chase, on the other hand, has many girlfriends. His list includes ALL of the prettiest girls in class and he does not think he should have to pick just one.  Maybe he is right?!

Turner, is a different story altogether. He, like Ryder, knows how to hang with the boys and he also learned a thing or two about flirting from Chase. Most of the friends in his little world are boys. He can rough and tumble with the big and lil guys alike.  But, dimpled and long lashed as well, he knows how to flirt, when he wants to.  Bianca, or Manca as he says, our cleaning lady, is one of Turner's favorite ladies.  He grins when she enters the house and proceeds to follow her around and help her scrub or vacuum.  The other day he asked her to put his shoes on for him.  He loves Manca.   But, nobody, no one makes Turner all cooky like his little red headed love, Kate.

Kate, playing dress up!

Kate is the daughter of our friends, Ali and Jared.  She is small and mighty with her bright red hair and brighter blue eyes.  She has a dominant, and hilarious, personality.  She is well spoken and has a large presence in a room.  She has Turner completely gaga.  A two year old boy totally smitten for a two year old girl.  It's adorable, actually.

At home the mere mention of Kate's name is cause for grin.   Turner's smile already has a tendency to light up a room, but mention Kate's name and the dreariest of days can become sunny.  He will ask for her when I say gym or storytime, two events we see her at most often.  He will ask to see her picture.  His eyes light up, his smile lights up, he is head over heels.

But, then, put him in a room with her and he turns into a bowl of mush.  At best.   When he sees her, he will still grin, open mouthed, from ear to ear, but he will hide his head, his whole body behind me, inside of me, hoping she will not see him blushed and flushed.  A boy so vocal, so silly, so personable, so LOUD, completely folds himself inside of himself when in the presence of his girl, all the while with a smile on his face and love in his eyes.
Perhaps it's a game, part of his hard to get strategy?  Or, it's just a boy, too young to understand the butterflies in his stomach.  Just a boy, crushing a girl!

I am pretty sure Kate likes him, too.  She will need to be the aggressive one in this relationship, which knowing Kate, seems perfectly appropriate!