The Middlest

I was never a middle. I was the baby. Or am the baby, I suppose. And so was my husband. But I constantly find myself feeling for the middle one. The kid who gets a bit of bad rap for being the most spirited of the three. The kid who has had to deal with all the speech stuff and evaluations. The kid who is squished, right between brother one and brother three. But then… then I realize that all of this middlest business is making him figure himself out. With so much attention going to his littler brother, the middlest is prone to wandering. With the oldest directing him so often, he is determined to listen to the beat of his own drum. And he finds himself in some pretty hysterical situations.

Pajamas – check. Sunglasses – check. Tool belt – check. McDonalds plastic play backpack – check. Scrub cap – check. All clear for the Scheels Ferris Wheel, I’d say.

He is way cooler than I’m ever gonna be. He’s also a feisty little monkey. And as stubborn as something that is legitimately excessively stubborn {because I think he may surpass mules and politicians}. And his scream is enough to wake the dead. He makes my head spin. He is the best big bro to the littlest. He makes me snort laugh. He loves in a way that love is meant to be done. And he makes my heart swell.

Man, do I think he rocks. 

And so, the convo that we had the other day, well, it shouldn’t have surprised me. Because it’s just so the middlest.

“Tomorrow is “what do you wanna be when you grow up” day, Jo. So what do you want to dress up as?”
“A grandpa.”
“Ooookay.”
“I wanna be a grandpa so I’m gonna need a beer {at least that’s what I heard}.”
“Ummmm. What?”
“I’m gonna need a beard. And glasses. Because grandpas get to have beards and glasses.”
“I see.”
“And I am gonna live in a camper. And be a lawyer.”

You got it, dude. 

This one is giving us a run for our money. And sometimes I forget to be thankful for that. But I think he’s kinda wicked smaht. And he’s pretty darn joyful. And he keeps our toes on their very tips. He’s the wild card, every day… smack dab in the middle. Grandpa Jo. Love him so.