The Favorite

Peyton constantly wants and craves the love and acceptance of being the favorite. Whether it's from her swim coach, camp counselor or school teacher, she's constantly telling me that she's their favorite. (We won't even get into how she begs me to tell her whose my favorite.) And, often times I'm pretty sure she's right as she knows just how to work her way into your heart with her humor, a sarcastic comment or a witty remark. And I'm not even talking about how cute she is with that blonde hair and those blue-gray eyes.

However, this past week, it's been pretty humorous to witness some adults who openly deem (verbally or non-verbally) Austen their favorite and how she reacts to this news. She complained recently about a PE teacher asking about Austen (as he now goes to middle school) and telling her class how he set the record for the pacer test at her school. Big deal, Peyton said as she recounted the tale to Austen over a snack. I got an 84, she said which was the highest for the girls. That's not true Austen said, you're in 3rd grade, you don't even get to go beyond 50. She must've forgotten that it was only last year that Austen went to that school and I'm pretty sure knew the ins and outs of the pacer test. Foiled again. That darn Austen.

Then just on Saturday, we had to attend church with Peyton's religious education class. Upon seeing our family in the pew, the head of religious education comes over to our pew, bypasses Peyton who is sitting on the end (and the required attendee), stretches across the pew and says "my man Austen!" as she gives him a fist pump. She then suddenly remembers Peyton and pats her on the shoulder. Peyton and I exchange a quick glance where Peyton scrunches up her face to indicate her irritation and rolls her eyes. I almost couldn't help but laugh. It was pretty obvious to all of us that this lady could've cared less about Peyton but was so happy to see Austen there.

Last was just tonight at our parent teacher conference for Peyton. Naturally Austen comes up in conversation - although Austen did not have Peyton's teacher for 3rd grade, he did have him for math. So her teacher tells us that he often sends her down the hall to Austen's old 5th grade teacher's class when he needs something from her because she may have declared her favorite student of all time to be Austen! Peyton says she does go on these runs and when she does, the teacher always asks about Austen. Of course she does, Peyton. Get used to it. That's what it means to be the second born. However, I'm sure you're doing just fine on your own becoming many other people's favorites. I mean how could you not be?