When I was growing up, everyone seemed to give my little sister whatever she wanted because she was “just a baby”. Little did they realize that at home, she was devil spawn. I felt the injustices of positive discrimination, I wonder if my boys do now.

Our youngest will be three in December, egad! And don’t mind if I do, but he is ADORABLE! He has a mouthful of words and can give back what he gets, so he is full of character. Add in his little body, and what a heart-breaker! Even the swimming instructor for the big boys has a baby crush on him. Maybe that sounds sort of creepy, (maybe it would be if the swim guy was ugly) but everyone can see how awesome he is – and how confident in the water – when he is swashbuckling around the little pool.

Of course, being the smallest does go part the way to being the cutest. When we are riding our bikes around the park, all the grandmas have a variation of “oooh, isn’t he cute, I didn’t see him on the back there” as we pedal away. Add in the big bobble-head helmet and porcelain skin, and the big boys are sort of out-done before they’ve begun.

I try not to take his side too often, I try to keep an eye on what he is doing and be realistic about what is going on – I felt like I took the blame way more than was called for because my sister was smaller and therefore couldn’t possibly do as many naughty things and that is Bull. Shit. I also know that he takes his examples from his brothers (guess my sister did, too, dang! Just gave myself away.) But when he sweetly sings “sor-ry” and gives me a cheese, what can I do?

Time outs. And don’t you forget it.