I have a little girl. I adore my little girl. There are about a trillion things that I could say about how wonderful it is being mother to my girl. But today is the birthday – the first birthday – of my baby boy, and so today is devoted to the contemplation of his awesome. And, oh, there is much awesome.

Why just five things, when I could – obviously – name a billion? 1) Because, really, do you actually want to read a billion point-form notes on why I love being mother to my son? I thought not. 2) Because last month I launched a project with my friend David, the objective of which was to prompt mothers around the world to share with each other the things – the five things – that they love about being moms, and I’d kinda like to carry that a little further. So, herewith: five things that I love about being a mom to a boy. To my boy.

1) Chunky little biceps and teeny chubby boy-thighs. I don’t know that all baby boys are built the same way, but my baby boy? Is built like such a boy. He is boy all over, from his sturdy little shoulders to the proud curve of his wee chest right down to his tiny fat toes. I love it.

2) Baby boy belly. Maybe, again, this is just my boy, but it seems to me that baby boys, when they’re toddling upright, travel belly first. Which means that they are always in the line of fire for raspberry belly kisses.

3) Hoots and hollers. My little girl, when she was a baby, trilled and cooed and giggled, and it was the prettiest, most feminine sound I had ever heard. The boy? Hoots and yells and laughs from deep down in that fat little belly of his, and I defy anyone to not want to hoot and laugh right back with him.

4) Boy clothes. Sure, it was and is fun shopping for and dressing a little girl. But it is just so much simpler to deal with clothing for a boy. Also, navy and brown and khaki hide dirt really, really well.

5) The whole Mama’s boy thing. My daughter is and has always been fiercely independent. She loves me, but most of the time that love is, for her, very clearly distinguished from need. My little man, on the other hand, clings to me as though his very life depended on it. Which can be a little exhausting – and it could become a little awkward if it persists until, say, his college years – but for now? It’s awesome. It’s really awesome.

One of these days I’ll run down some of the reasons why I love being mom to my girl, but as I said, today is for my boy. And I do so love my boy.

Happy birthday, sweet guy.

(You can read more about the origin of The World According To Mom project here, and find the most recent update here. If you have a blog, consider joining in – our objective is to get moms from 80 countries participating – at last count there were nearly 300 posts from 44 countries –  but we want as many moms as possible from all over. And if you don’t have a blog – maybe leave a comment about the things you love most about being a mom, or a dad, to a girl or a boy or both or just in general. I’d love to hear it!)