Joshy in the Middle

I'm the oldest daughter of four and Jason is the youngest of seven. I am controlling, stubborn and have a HUGE  slight tendency to be "my way or the highway." Jason is funny and easy to please. We make a great pair, us two love birds....

But what we don't quite personally understand is....The plight of the middle child - and in our little family... The Plight of Joshua.

This sweet boy is stuck between Princess Julia and Medical Wonder Seth. Julia and her budding gymnastics career and "I've been hospitalized in my almost 18 mths more than all my grandparent's combined" Seth.

So today, I've decided to dedicate a whole post (which at the rate I'm posting is pretty much 10-20% of my posts for the year) to my darling middle child Joshua and the smart, sweet, goofy kid he is.

He loves all things boy. All things farts. All things Mario. And all things family. He cries when it's not a family day. He welcomes me home each day like he hasn't seen me in years. He loves cookies and candy and will always ask for two more for Julia and Seth. He lives on popcicles and always makes sure his buddies have one or two, too. He thanks Jesus (or Je-jus) for his family and teachers everyday with a prayer that would make athiests believe. Joey Votto is his favorite athlete and he will circle the ball park and jump rows to meet Mr. Red Legs if that's what it takes. His eyes disappear when he smiles and his cheeks couldn't be more kissable. And reading this makes me tear up because I just love this boy so, so much.

I could go on and on...but want to share my favorite Joshy story of the year:

A new halloween costume magazine had just come in the mail. Josh grabbed it as we hopped in the car to go pick Julia up from school. He's in the back telling me wants to be a Transformer. No, a Power Ranger. No, Batman. No, DJ Lance. Then, it got quiet. I looked in the rearview mirror as he said, "Mommy, I don't want to be the lady with the nipples."

"Um, what did you say, sweet boy?"

"I don't want to be the lady with the nipples. Maybe you could be the lady with the nipples?"

Holy Frijoles! What kind of p*rno magazine did I just send my kid to the back of the van with?

I pull into the first parking lot I found demanding he bring that magazine to me.

He opened the page and showed me this:

I laughed for about an hour and then some. No, Joshua, you don't have to be the lady with nipples - and I don't have to feel like I screwed up majorly as a mother today....yet.

Oh how I love my middle child, Joshua. He makes me smile and so thankful God chose me to be his momma.