Boys and Trials

So I am totally in love with the idea of having three boys and a girl.  Don't get me wrong, I love my girl- but there is a lot of drama with girls.  Boys are just usually more laid back and generally easier to get along with.  So I got my estrogen fill with just one girl. 

And I got three boys!

I have been anticipating how life will go when they get a little older.  3 boys to mow lawns.  3 boys to collect anything creepy/slimy/crawly.  3boys to cause trouble.  Now don't get me wrong I am not asking for spiders/frogs/worms/what-not to be unleashed in my home, but I just think it is so darn BOY.  How darling is all the little boy stuff???   Mud, bikes, bugs, sports- I am excited for the whole nine yards with the boys. 

I have also been imagining the trouble they may find themselves in, and (again) while I am not asking for it, I can't help but anticipate all the boyish messes they may get themselves into.  These are the types of scenarios I have been looking forward to:
-tracking mud all over the house
-accidentally unleashing wild creatures in the house (bugs, lizards, toads, whatever)
-breaking a window with a baseball
-chipping the neighbors siding with their BB guns whilst trying to play target practice with a couple of soda cans (my bro's)
-lighting a wheat feild on fire while trying to light fire crackers (my dad)
These are all the darling albeit naughty BOYISH things I have been thinking about. 

I am not prepared, however for my boys doing things like this:
-calling some overweight girls that are twice their age "fatties" and telling little kids to throw rocks at them
-trying to cause a cute little puppy physical harm by kicking or using some other weapon of mass destruction
-hitting girls with sticks
-grabbing a boy half his age round the neck and pushing him down

I can handle the mess and destruction that boys can cause, but I don't know about physical and emotional pain.  I never expected them to be cruel. 
Troublemakers- yes. 
But never cruel. 
And I didn't want to be the one with the bullies.  I have done all I know how to try and teach them values and morals.  I love them and show them love and attention.  I want them to have high self-esteem.  But I don't know what else I can do.  It breaks my heart to know that the boys are just being mean just to be mean.  And that the younger boy want to be just like his big brother. Tell me how to deal with this???  Any good suggestions?  How can I teach my kids to make good choices simply because it is the right thing to do, and not because they will "earn" something. 

Has anyone else struggled with this?  Obviously talking with my children about these things is getting me nowhere.  So as I'm writing this post the boy was falling asleep.  I just went in to check on him and he looks so darling and innocent just clutching his stuffed dinosaur.  P-I-T-A when he is awake, but ANGEL when he sleeps.  (PITA is an acronym -think about it). 


 Here is my BEAUT of a girl!

Anyway sorry it has been so long.  My life is so crazy busy.  It is hard to squeeze in a few minutes, but I still will try.  I'm sure the summer will fly by wicked fast.  So we will enjoy the sunshine and warm weather while it lasts.  You should too.  In fact let's enjoy it together.  Come over anytime!  Peace out.