So, I was reading over my old (but, not very old since I just started this blog last month) blog entries and realized that I have written a lot about my oldest child and some about my baby, but nothing about the middle children.  I guess what they say is true, that the middle children are overlooked.  So, in an effort to save my 2 middles from being scarred for life, today I will write about them.

Brittany, 13, is child #2 and is my oldest daughter.  She is the absolute opposite of her 16 year old brother.  If they do agree on something, she will be sure to change her position in a hurry.  I don't really understand it because he is a great kid, but she wants to be different, not lumped together with anyone else.  She does not want to live in his shadow.  He likes English and history; she likes math and science.  He likes vanilla; she like chocolate.  He loves the classics; she likes fluff.  I have to repeatedly tell him that if he suggests it, we might as well forget it.

Brittany loves all animals, but her favorite is horses.  She love to ride them, read about them, draw them, whatever!  She also likes frogs and toads.  We have a pond in our back yard that has tadpoles and toads.  She is forever catching them, observing them, and then releasing them.  She is also probably the person in this house that MY cat loves the most.

As she gets older, Brittany is a tremendous help to me.  She has become quite the baker and is learning about cooking as well.  She can clean a bathroom and do laundry as well as any adult that I know. She is a great help with her younger sister and takes on tasks without being told.

She is on a mission right now to read every Star Wars book ever written.  I think the librarians are ready to cancel our cards since she orders 25 books at a time through inter-library loan!  She has also gone through every Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Murder She Wrote book (no, I am not kidding!) that was ever in print.  Did I mention that she likes to read books that come in a series (translation: fluff)?  I am encouraging her to branch out a bit, but it doesn't seem to be working very well.

Aaron is child #3 and my youngest son.  He doesn't seem to suffer from middle child syndrome too much.  He is just a typical 9 year old boy who wants to play and is bothered by anything that gets in the way of that.  Like his older sister, he loves Star Wars.  He has owned (and broken) more light sabers than anyone I know.  He even keeps spare parts in his toy box. 

Aaron is a people person.  He usually doesn't do anything until he finds out who he is doing it with.  On a hot day, if I suggest that he go swimming, his first question is: "Are you going?"  His next question is: "Is Dad going?"  He does swim without us, but we NEVER swim without him!  He is a kid who genuinely misses people when he does not see them.  He hates it if he doesn't get to see his dad before he leaves for work in the morning.  If anyone in the family is away for any length of time, he is missing them.  He really misses his best friend is he doesn't get to see him regularly.  This is a kid who thrives on relationships.  He is very affectionate and sensitive and doesn't like controversy.  He does not like anyone to be mad at him.

So, I think I have written enough that if either of my middle children would decide to read my blog, they would not feel slighted in any way.  I am sure I will have more to write about them at some point, but my oldest and my baby always seem to have something going on, where my middles live pretty steady, consistant lives.  I guess we will see.  :o)

Posted by JenIG

Your family seems lovely! I also have an Aaron (he's 8). If your Aaron has a blog i know my son would be thrilled to make a new boy blog friend. His blog is www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/BubIG
:-) jen

Posted by MaggieHogan

of your kids!!! It's a wise mama who knows her children so well. Thanks for sharing and I know your kids would be blessed by it too :-)
Hey - update!

Posted by my3sons

I, myself, am the oldest of 2. My husband is the youngest of five. Our middle son does seem to get slighted at times. This past spring our homeschool yearbook came out (our support group puts one out each year). I searched through immediately for my 3 sons' photos. I couldn't find my middle son. He wasn't even in the 7th grade pages! I looked in the index and he wasn't even listed! I know he had his picture taken for the 7th grade pages. I talked with the woman who heads up the yearbook and she said, feeling very bad, "I wondered how long it would take you to find out!" We had a sentimental laugh together with her apologizing over and over. I explained the oversight to my son and he just shrugged his shoulders, like he was used to this. And so, the middle syndrome goes on......

Posted by momster

You already know I think the world of you, my friend. Some day I sure hope we and our families can meet IRL. Your kids sound delightful (just like their mama). :o)

hugs,
momster

Posted by donnysgal

Aaron sounds alot like my son (who is the middle kid too). I am excited what kind of a great guy he is going to be when he grows up...

BTW- I tagged you if your interested the questions are on my blog

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/donnysgal

Posted by SecDef

You are David Ketter's mom? Nice to meet you! :)

Posted by MySmokyMtnHomeschool

and noticed you haven't posted in a while. How are you? I hope all is well. This is really a great place to come for encouragement. I hope you will join us again soon.

Blessings,
Amy Beth <><

Posted by YoungHomemaker

I am a middle child and I do feel like I didn't get a lot of attention. Big families are good just pay attention to individual children.

Posted by DavidKetter

You haven't updated since August...time to post something! :P

Posted by BrittanyK

Hey! I'm the one that likes vanilia!