I have pointed sticks

I’m being pestered by the Self Esteem Monster and his good friends the You Aren’t A Good Enough Parent Monster and the Your Kid Sucks, Too Monster. Gavin is already four years old and he isn’t yet writing his dissertation on genetic mutations in the three toed sloth! He doesn’t have his paperwork in to be Stephen Hawking’s next unpaid intern! He forgets whether ni hao is Spanish and hola is Mandarin or vice versa!

Ok, seriously, he had his birthday party on Saturday and only two kids of the eleven or so we invited came. Is he the stinky kid no one wants to play with? I don’t *think* so. I mean, we bathe him once a month whether he needs it or not. It annoys me that most of the parents couldn’t even be bothered to call and say thanks for the invitation but we have other plans. I keep trying to tell myself that Gav had a great time no matter who was there. If the other parents didn’t want to take advantage of a free admission for their kiddo to the Children’s Museum, that’s their missed opportunity. Fuck ‘em. I still have those monsters hiding behind me waiting to kick me in the butt, though.

He’s four and counts in his own order. He recognizes his name and the letter G, but anything other than that is a wash. I was reading at his age. He’s still wearing pullups at night because he’s such a heavy sleeper he doesn’t even know when he wets them. Granted, I walk and talk in my sleep so I guess I can blame his genetics for that.

Screw all that! He’s polite. When he sees someone walking their dog he runs up *to the owner* and asks, “please may I pet your dog?” before going near the animal. He’s determined to learn to skateboard, and puts on his pads all by himself and brings us his helmet to put on. He sings silly songs to himself. He’s quick to give hugs and kisses and tell people he loves them. He likes all animals, not just your standard dogs and cats. He wants to play with the snake when we get him out, and he likes the tarantulas, too. He says hello to birds and bugs. He’s learned that we don’t squish bugs just because they’ve accidentally walked into our house. We take them back outside so they can go back home to their bug mommies and daddies. He knows not to leave water running because that’s wasting, and he uses cloth napkins because they can be washed and used again.

Piss off, monsters. There are things Gavin is not, but there are many things he is, and it’s all going to be ok.