Just so I know.

The kids are doing wonderfully. Sure they bicker and fight. The youngest has tantrums. But this is no different than other children. They're thriving. They're normal.

The Bruiser is going to be starting pre-K in the fall. I still have to find a school to enroll him in since there is no pre-kindergarten program at the school his older sister attends. There has always been this weird concern regarding his development, and it's no wonder, having to follow someone like his sister. She always seemed mature beyond her years, especially as a toddler. Yet time and time again, every pediatrician has told me that the Bruiser is totally normal. The behaviors he exhibited - delayed speech being the biggest concern - is typical of the second child, I was told, especially if the older sibling is talkative and is constantly answering for him. Such is the case with the Princess and the Bruiser.

Well, now I feel like I'm pleading my case. That I have to write all of this out in order to prove to whoever (whomever?) that I'm doing a good enough job with my son. I see how he is, the way he interacts with his sisters and with other children, and he is a totally normal kid.

He is interested in cars and superheroes. Loves the color black. He doesn't like to sit and draw or color, but would sit in a pile of Legos and build space ships, all perfectly symmetrical. He has proven himself to be the type of kid who won't answer questions on cue like his big sister would, even though he knows the answer.

He's a smart kid, and I'm not just saying this because I'm his mother. If I thought otherwise, I would have gone through extra measures to make sure he had everything he needed to catch up to other kids his age. Just because he isn't just like his older sibling doesn't mean he's stupid or slow. It's so important to recognize his differences - and with that his strengths.

I'm not going to let anyone tell me otherwise. Reason being, I had people telling me the same thing when the Princess was 3-4 years old. Oh, she needs to be enrolled in this or that. Blah blah blah. So I went with it, and I honestly don't think any of it made a huge difference other than giving her something fun to do that required less effort on my part.

Anyway, I feel like I am repeating myself. I just felt the need to document this here. I'm not concerned about my son because I know he's just fine. As are his sisters. Anyone else wouldn't know any better unless they spent more time with them.

It's probably a natural inclination for certain people to question everything about me, including my ability to raise my children. In this instance I can say with confidence that these people are wrong.