An Ode to the Middle Child

Oh, Sebastian.

You're a mess.

You are. If I had the time (fine! I have that), the strength, and the energy to bathe you after every meal (5 or 6 daily) I really should because you strut away from that high chair wearing a whoooooole lot of leftovers. You fly through clothes because - you're a mess!! And when I'm having a tough time keeping up with the laundry (always) you sometimes find yourself in Julia's tightest leggings and a pair of pink socks and then you're a hot mess for a day or two in a row.

We were expecting Julia to have a tough time with Theo's arrival but it was most definitely you that acted out initially. You became a bit of a terror. You introduced us to your hilarious throw your body on the floor and stomp around wailing and shaking your head furiously when you didn't get to go outside in the snow in your bare feet.  We couldn't take you outside unless we were in the mood to sprint because you would put your chin to your chest and take off down the street at an impressive pace for a boy with legs as tall as rulers. I don't know why I typed "couldn't" because we still can't. You're a runner and you make me look like a very negligent mother out in public.

If you run up the neighbor's wheelchair ramp one more time while I helplessly struggle with Theo and his thousand pound car seat and alert the most talkative man in all of the land that there are people outside to talk to - I'll die. 

You take the worst naps and always wake up hours before Julia because I think you've caught on that she is a little attention hog. You're the kid that seems to always have a runny nose and even if it's dripping all over your face and off your chin you freak and gallop away as fast as you can when I try to wipe it. 
 
I find you dancing on top of the dining room table 98 times a day and no amount of stern parental discipline will deter you from doing it over and over again. You've fallen off a few times but climb right back up to your dance floor because you are c to the ray to the z.


On the other hand - you're the best.

You selflessly sit in the car seat in the very back of the van because Julia cannot handle sitting in the back lest she have some need arise that requires me to hold her foot for comfort.

You've inherited Julia's neglected purple blankie and are rarely seen without it these days. She stole the fancy blue one you were gifted but you're happy with the purple because you're Sebastian and you don't care.

I can count on one finger the number of times Julia has voluntarily given me a hug but you're a hugger. Sometimes your hugs come complete with a little shoulder bite that draws blood but I'm sure you mean well.

You've never pitched a fit when I've left you with a sitter or with your dad like Julia did at your age and go up to anyone - ANYONE and put your hands out to be held within seconds of seeing them.

Recently the house has fallen too quiet and I whiz around expecting to find you in a puddle of disaster like I always do but I've been shocked to see you sitting on the floor looking at a book.

Shocked.

The other night I was trying to make a semi-nice meal of Chicken Parmesan and Googled, "easy Chicken Parmesan" and was trying not to croak over the, "now gather the ingredients to make a home made sauce" line from the oxymoronic simplyrecipes.com and you were doing your, "eh! eh! eh! eh! eh! eh! eh! eh! eh!" that tend to drive a sane person insane so I told you to go read a book to Theo.

And you did.

Silently with no words because words aren't your jam quite yet.

And then you gave him a kiss that involved nothing but waving your snotty nose over his clean face and you never touched him because you only touch Theo when you're in attack mode but you were pretty proud ...

For 4 seconds until ...

you threw yourself back into mess mode. We laughed (maybe) and loved you through it like we always have and always will.


*this is a little too sappy for my taste but I thought, "Sebastian took a 45 second nap then woke up his ogre of a sister and went on to bite Theo on the cheek while he was peacefully kicking the air" would've been a little boring and a little too brief.