“This one is sneaky,” said Pipsqueak’s gymnastics teacher after class on Monday (actually, Doodle’s team coach who was subbing for Pipsqueak’s usual teacher).
“Uh-huh.”
“I can tell he’s a handful.”
“Yep.”
“Definitely not quiet and sweet like your other kids.”
“Nope.”
He’s our wild card. Always has been. From the moment he came into our world like a wrecking ball, he’s kept us on our toes.
It’s not that he’s a bad kid, because he’s not. He’s just A LOT.
A lot of energy.
A lot of questions.
A lot of demanding.
A lot of noise.
A lot of movement.
A lot of laughter.
And a lot of screaming.
We joke that there’s no middle with Pipsqueak, he’s either on full speed, or he’s asleep.
He’s absolutely ridiculous in every way.
But over the past year, he’s changed so much, evolved from a small and fairly helpless child into a little person capable of so much.
- He’s *almost* reading (the only thing holding him back is his lack of interest in actually doing it.)
- He can do basic addition and subtraction in his head.
- He can finally buckle and unbuckle his own carseat.
- He makes his own breakfast and sometimes lunch, and once in awhile even breakfast or lunch for me.
- He’s better on a bike than I’ve ever been, loves jumps, ramps, and hills.
- He can almost do a proper cartwheel, and makes it all the way across the monkey bars (and sometimes can turn around and go back) in one try.
- He still loves sharks, and most animals.
- His laugh is infectious and knows just the right way to sweet talk his way out of any sticky situation.
He might not have been exactly what we were expecting 6 years ago, but I think he was just what our family needed! 
