His older brother always makes news because he’s outside the norm, so I feel bad for “typical” Brayden. Every time I ask his preschool teacher how he’s doing, I get the standard “good”, so he seems to be on track — which means we don’t really make much effort to teach him new skills. I just sort of assume that he’s learning everything he’s supposed to be learning, and then I go back to figuring out Justin’s therapy schedule. Poor Brayden gets a double dose of second child syndrome — he automatically gets less focus cause he wasn’t first, plus he doesn’t really stand out as needing special help. I know he could benefit from more attention, but I get so tired from dealing with Justin that I just don’t want to have to come up with more teachable moments. There’s definitely a New Year’s resolution to be made here.

The good news is that he’s doing great despite his parents’ neglect. His passion these days is Lego, and it’s so cute to see him being creative (right now his cave men are roasting a steak on the second floor of the fire station while their escape airplane waits nearby). He loves to help me cook dinner — yesterday I asked him to pour the milk, so he did, and the next thing I knew he was washing out the empty jug and putting it in the recycling bin (a feat his father has never accomplished). He can tell me what letter a word starts with by sounding it out, and he “reads” common signs and logos, so he’s getting there. All in all, he’s a bright little monkey and we’re so very proud of him.