(This post is a sequel to my post entitled, What Women Do That Men Don’t Even Know About. If you haven’t read it already, you may want to read it first as it sets the context for this post.)

I’m not the man I used to be!

There’s probably a number of reasons for my failing masculinity, not the least of which is the fact that I’m just getting older.

But also that I’m being told what to do by a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old!

However, I’ve developed several new behaviors since starting this new adventure that worry me.

These may be signs of my dwindling manhood.

I’d like to discuss some of these peculiar behaviors with you and see if you think it’s anything I should worry about…

Probably the most disconcerting behavior to me is that I find myself keeping the coupons for Bed, Bath, & Beyond that frequently arrive in the mail.

I also like to look through their flyers and catalogs and imagine what this color towel set or that color bath mat would look like in the upstairs bathroom or what would a particular comforter look like on one of the toddlers’ beds.

I’m noticing things around the house that I never noticed before and wondering if it’s time to update or even change them out–curtains, rugs, pictures, towels, and even the color of paint on the walls!

I occasionally go by the crafts store to browse! And while I am in there I may go down the candle aisle and smell the candles and potpourri and even purchase a candle or bag of potpourri with a fragrance I like.

So what? At least I pick out masculine scents like Deep Woods or Ocean Breeze, although I must confess that I have developed an affinity for Daffodil, Lilac, and Lavender!

I stress about how to decorate the dining room table–which table cloth, settings, and centerpiece for each season of the year!.

Decorating? I don’t ever remember using that word before, particularly in regard to anything I would be doing.

The reason I stress about it is because I really don’t have any decorating skills. I recently found a gold tablecloth and put it on the dining table, but now it needs a seasonal centerpiece and matching place settings.

Now, where’s that Pottery Barn catalog?

I can’t go to the hardware store without stopping by the clothing store to see what new kids’ outfits are on the discount rack.

The other day I went to Lowe’s to get a grease gun to grease my new lawnmower and I remembered that Sissy needed some new shorts. She has a black blouse that I particularly like, but has no bottoms to match.

Since it is close to Lowe’s, I also stopped by Children’s Place to look for a new pair of shorts for her.

Before my new adventure I didn’t even even know there was a children’s clothing store right across the street from the hardware store!

Now some of the guys reading this may be at a complete loss about what I’m talking about–decorating, candles, potpourri, table settings, girls blouses and bottoms.

AND THAT’S EXACTLY MY POINT!

I used to know nothing about any of these things. These were things I never paid attention to unless my wife insisted that I accompany her on a shopping trip.

And then I just stood around waiting impatiently for her to finish shopping!

And you know what else?

I didn’t want to know anything about any of these things.

I had more important things to do and to think about.

“Man” things like….like….like….well, you know, all the important things men do and think about while women are shopping and decorating the house and dressing the children!

Now, I’m finding that shopping and decorating and children’s clothing consume an inordinate amount of my limited male attention span!

What happened to the man I was? Where did he go? Will he be back? Should he ever come back?

Maybe not. Probably not. But is that really so bad?

Is it possible that being both the “man” and the “woman” of the house can somehow make me into a little better person than the man I was before? I certainly hope so, for the children’s sake.