World Redhead Day
Happy “World Redhead Day” to my precious red headed blue eyed baby boy! According to the interwebs, less than 2% of the world's population has red hair; moreover, having red hair and blue eyes is the rarest combination possible. The odds of someone having both of those traits is around 0.17%. My mind is blown at how rare and special redheads are and I somehow got me one! I did not know my heart could love so deeply until God blessed me with Levi. I had always wanted a wild redheaded little boy and, boy oh boy, the Lord sure answered my prayer.
Our sweet baby is a pistol! He is constantly moving, crawling, walking, climbing, and getting into every possible thing within reach. Not only is he an energizer bunny, but he is also loud and loves to express himself. When either happy or mad, he screams at pitches we never knew existed and yells loud enough for neighbors to hear. He never stops talking, even in his crib he just lays and talks to himself. He has the best laugh I’ve ever heard, drawing others in to share in the joy. His red hair, blue eyes, big body, and large personality make him stand out wherever he goes, yet he loves the attention. Although I am biased and believe Levi is the cutest and sweetest baby you’ll ever meet, I will also admit that there are other parts of his fireball personality that are unfortunately not so sweet and will need some training as he grows.
The Lord has definitely given me a child with traits similar to my own, testing me on every level. For some reason, I just thought it was impossible to have a child with the same quirky and challenging characteristics as me. God had other plans. Instead, he gifted our boy with joy, laughter, love for attention, drama, determination, persistence, strong will, bossiness, and a hard head all just like his mama. He of course got his daddy’s good looks along with his good traits like intelligence, strength, friendliness, a sensitive heart, and obedience (even though he loves to test boundaries). But there is another trait in Levi that we are still trying to learn and figure out as he grows: a short fuse.
I myself can be pretty feisty, but I believe he has definitely been given a bit more of a temper than I’ve ever had. And I definitely think it is due to his beautiful red hair. A “fiery redhead” is definitely the best way to describe our son. He is happy and laughing one second, then immediately mad and screaming the next second. And can switch back to laughing without blinking. When our family asks how Levi is doing, on a good day my response is, “Oh you know, just being Levi! Happy mad. Happy mad.”
A simple outing with Levi can turn into one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever dealt with. Car rides have never been easy with him. Instead, he screams his deafening high pitched squeal until he either gets what he wants, falls asleep, or we get to our destination. To my despair, Levi is not content just riding. He has bossed the radio since he was just a few months old, screaming until a song plays that he likes. If the car stops moving, he screams. If he drops a toy, he screams. If he can’t reach something, he screams. If he’s hungry, thirsty, or tired, he screams. If he’s happy, he screams a happy scream. One NICU nurse told us that we have a screamer, while another nurse at his last check up said his scream was shrilling. And it truly is. In fact, I’ve had to put silencing headphones on while driving to keep myself from wrecking!
While out and about, Levi is still just as unpredictable. He can be giggling, playing, and becoming best friends with strangers, then all of a sudden flip a switch to frustrated, upset, and screaming. Then back to laughing a moment later. There is no way to know what exactly has flared his temper. The moment I think I’ve figured it out, he has either moved on or been short fused by something else. Even at home, the cycle goes on and on, is completely unpredictable, and feels like a roller coaster that will never end.
I often ask the Lord why he has given US such a loud and fiery child. I believe that God has big plans for such a big voice! “Levi” means to join in harmony, and he already lives up to the name through his joyful, lively, engaging, and inclusive personality. I just hope and pray that we are able to parent and guide this sweet but strong boy in the way he should go.
Has anyone else had a fireball child like ours? Is it the red hair, is he unique, or a combination of both? Can anyone relate? Help a mama out!
Proverbs 22:6
“Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”