Who needs a reason?

I don’t have a reason today to share these pictures.

It’s just that . . .

I was looking at the photos

and

this kid is so cute.

And I just didn’t see the point in

keeping

this kind of adorable

to myself.

Why should I, really?

This boy, this oTTo Fox Wilder McDonald, is My Favorite One Year Old Boy.

And because he is number six

some things are a little different for him than perhaps they might have been for children 1 through 5.

He has discovered (and been allowed to hold) markers at a significantly earlier age.

Which would, of course, account for the orange marker on his shirt, his shoe, his hand and oh yeah – his head.

He lives and breathes,

eats and sleeps,

the language of kisses.

(Or “kiff-iss-is” as some Keigley kid one time mispronounced the word and it stuck.)

I am pretty certain that not even one half hour of Wilder’s waking life has gone by without the young man being on the receiving end of some kind of intense sibling or parental affections.

And this one?

This one is picky too.

I think he might be my first Official Picky Eater.

(Not that I am going to label him that.  Because I don’t plan on encouraging that kind of behavior.  A short-order cook I am not.)

I stick with my Rule of Three.

(I like to pretend that I made that up.  But I don’t actually know.   I could have stolen the idea from someone, anyone really.  You can claim if it’s yours.  In fact, please do.  I like to give credit where it’s, you know, due.)

So.

Yeah.

The Rule of Three.

That just means that I will put three items on your plate.

It’s alright with me if you don’t love all three items.

You can eat the most of the ones you love the most.

That’s all good.

But if you cannot locate one item amongst the three that you are willing to consume,

then chances are –

you will be hungry.

That’s the Rule of Three.

(It’s not a hard and fast, never been broken, type of rule – but it is basic, standard operating procedure come meal time around the Keigley table.)

But this Otto Kid – he wants to test my mettle.

Three items that he devoured just yesterday can be aligned in perfect Feng Shui on his plate and he will (almost politely) refuse to partake.

His stand-bys seems to include applesauce, yogurt and any form of bread.

He turns his nose (or pushes his plate) at pasta of any variety.

Who doesn’t care for pasta?

For the love, son.

For.  The.  Love.

At any rate.

I wasn’t planning to expound upon my youngest son’s eating peculiarities.

I just wanted a reason to share some charming photos of my Wilde Fox.

And it seems I have discovered those reasons after all.