So, to commemorate Gutsy's return to school after an entire week of sickness, and this morning's 50 minute tantrum that ensued, I will not complain about his attitude in this post. Nope, not one bit.
For example, instead of venting about how much I despise being woken up by what sounds like the screams of a cracked-out velociraptor, I will smile widely and share some of my favourite Gutsy pictures. Like this one from his first day of preschool:
Come to think of it, he still looks like that most mornings.
And instead of thinking about how he stomped around demanding a long sleeve shirt, but not that one because he doesn't like it, and not that one because it doesn't feel comfortable, and why doesn't he have any clothes at all and don't we ever do laundry because the three long sleeved shirts we offered him aren't good enough, and wearing a hoodie over a t-shirt just isn't on the agenda, how about I just grin gaily and show this treasure I discovered in a family picture from about three years ago?
Admittedly, he makes the best facial expressions I've ever seen outside of an early Jim Carrey movie. Maybe there's a decent retirement fund in my future after all!
Rather than focus on how I offered him three pairs of pants and none of them were acceptable because one had a 'hard button to do up', the second was 'too tight when I sit down' and the third was 'too short, kinda' I'll think about how much Gutsy loves his brothers, as is shown in this picture with little Spawnling:
Then, there's this loving one with Intrepid:
Sweet as pie, I tell you.
Gutsy doesn't just make me want to yank every strand of fiery red hair from my scalp (like this morning when he insisted on having a 'nice breakfast' after missing his bus due to going all Hulk on our asses.) He is as equally hilarious as he is frustrating. Observe:
Give him a prop and he'll give you an amazing shot. The attitude just oozes out:
I hope and pray a day will come when my middle gremlin will pour all his frustrations into art. And by "art" I don't mean his mother's ears and pounding head.
But he's already creative, and not just by discovering new ways to drive us batty. Long time readers will remember the scissor necklace of 2009 ("Because if you have them all around your neck you always know where they are!"):
And have I mentioned he's just downright gorgeous? I think it's a survival tactic. No, I know it's a survival tactic. Future partners will forgive him the world on account of those amazing eyes and great fashion sense. He is a boy who really knows how to dress, even if it does take him 50 minutes and a river of tears:
Yep, going through his pictures is a reminder that there's a lot more good than bad when it comes to raising Gutsy. By "good" I mean all the wonderful things that make up our special little guy. And by "bad" I mean feeling like I'm watching Godzilla rage his way through Tokyo (AKA the living room) at 7AM on a Monday morning.
But he's worth every screech, and even most of the skyscrapers.