He 'ist' What He 'ist' What He 'ist'

Everyone knows that each child is unique, but parenting three kids with the same gender, I think, magnifies that truth. What I mean is, I don't have the differences between boys and girls on which to hang my hat. I just see one boy different from the next. It's like their boyhood is the 'control' and mostly everything else is an awesome variable. I've always relished their differences, and this week they gave me some concrete examples of who they are and what approach they, at least for now, take toward life. Simply put, I have evidence to support the fact we have an optimist, a perfectionist and a realist.

Noah is an optimist. He, for the most part, sees the opportunity in every situation. He is unusually unconcerned, given he's a middle- school -aged child, about others' expectations and opinions of him. He allows nothing to hold him back from what he wants to do. Noah approaches things that would scare me to death with not only the absence of trepidation, but with an unguarded eagerness. I hope and pray his healthy outlook never gives way to the curse of trying to please the world. An example of his optimism came this week when he received the results of his science olympiad event. He was ecstatic that he took 38th place out of 40 teams. It's significant because he wasn't just choosing to see the good, he seemed genuinely oblivious to anything but celebration. He was elated that he beat Chris' Alma Mater and that the team advanced one place from last year.  I love that his optimism brings Noah joy and it multiplies ours. 

Josh is our perfectionist. Self-disciplined is the best way to describe him, with the emphasis on self. Just his morning shower routine offers a glimpse of his meticulousness. Without fail, for the past 150 (plus or minus) school days, he has reminded me before he goes to bed to get him up at 6:30a.m. I get him up, he gathers his clothes, places them on the sink- counter in the order he will get dressed, starts the water and then sits on my bed to talk to me while the water warms to the ideal temperature. I could go on, but you get the picture. Meticulous. Like all perfectionists, Josh doesn't enjoy making mistakes. He enjoys even less anyone noticing a mistake.  Yesterday, he came to tell me he had put in the car the following: his baseball, his mitt, a sweatshirt, cleates and his cup-due to the fact we were going to dinner and would take him directly to practice, afterward. In my haste to get moving, I simply said, "Hey- don't forget a bottle of water." I didn't affirm what he had remembered, and missed the fact that he was proud to tell me what he'd done on his own. I saw a slightly deflated expression, watched him think deeply, and heard him then say, "You know, I'm kind of like a camel in that I can go long periods of time without water." We laughed together, but I also laughed inside knowing he'd rather equate himself to a desert animal than succumb to imperfect, baseball preparation.

Eric is our realist. For only seven years old, he has incredible wisdom that is most times, comical. He wants to know how things function, he prefers to read information rather than stories, he remembers everything he sees or hears, and most prevalent, is his tendency to pull no punches. What he thinks is what you're going to hear. Sunday, he was in the kitchen still sporting his soccer uniform shirt, from his earlier game. The letters SSA are on the lapel and stand for Springfield Soccer Association. (This fact will be important to the story in a moment.) I walked into the family room and noticed an unpleasant streak on the carpet, and dog owners will know to what I refer. It doesn't occur often, but let's just say it never brings me joy! I was so irritated and I said to Chris, "Did you see this?! I hate it when that dog wipes his *pause* I hate when he does this!!" I went into the kitchen to get something to clean it with and Eric looked at me and said, "I know what you were gonna say, Mom. He then pointed to the lapel of his uniform, "It's *this* spelled backwards." (Now, read the earlier description of what is written on the lapel of his shirt.) He said this with such innocent bluntness and a sheepish, little grin- that's Eric!

Yes, each child is unique. I look forward to watching their uniqueness shape them right into adulthood. I realize already, they will be what they 'ists'.