Throw everything you’ve been told about child-rearing and toss it straight out the window.  Your kid is going to be different.  And I don’t mean in a weird way.  I mean in the, “thank God he has this hilarious personality with these amazing ideas and isn’t afraid to express himself” kind of way.  This is my son, whom you have seen scattered all over this website.  He’s the love of my life and he brings with him every good, bad, and ugly, only a 6 year old is capable of bringing.  He gets into trouble on the daily and he makes me smile like crazy.  He’s a handful and a godsend.  And every day I am so thankful for him.  He dreams of being a rockstar pilot barber.  He dreams of playing guitar and drums with Tom Petty and all of the Heartbreakers.  His wish is to be a Georgia Bulldog in just about any capacity available.  He uses his baseball bat as a guitar and he dances down the basketball court.  These days he refuses to wear anything but red and black and would wear shorts and sports leggings in his sleep if only we didn’t force him to wear pjs instead.  He wants to get a buzz cut, but until that time when his mom and dad cave in, he’ll settle for some red pomade.  There is no chance anyone could have prepared me for this boy.  If anyone had told me that I’d have a 6 year old who knew every single word to The Waiting I would have laughed in their face.  But this is who he is.  He’s whimsical and quirky and driven and stubborn and smart and lazy and loving and kind and he’s the most amazing little being I have ever met.  So my dear boy can put any color pomade in his hair, just so long as he doesn’t decide to trim his own bangs again.