Hunter the Welcoming Committee

Does it ever make you wonder how all of your children can be so different?  I realize I'm not the norm if have to say "all" when referring to my offspring, but still.  Ocean was a shy child, Ethan was more outgoing in comparison and Aaron took after Ocean in cautiousness. Hunter? Well that kid seems to realize that saying "hi" to anyone often gets him the attention he is looking for. 

Hunter was waiting for Ocean to take him on a walk and a lady pulling a couple of little ones in a wagon passed by across the street.  Upon seeing her, Hunter stood up and yelled "Hi there!" She said "Hi" back and Hunter turned to me and said, "I liked seeing those kids."  He does this all the time.  We came back from somewhere one morning and saw a group of kids playing a few doors down.  As we parked Hunter piped up "I'm going to go say hi to those kids." And he did.  I followed along as well because that's just smart, and I met one of my neighbours.

I'm not especially shy but with a kid like Hunter, you meet everyone and anyone because he's interested in meeting them.  Sometimes people don't respond and Hunter will just look at me with surprise and say "They didn't say hi!" I think it's kind of cool that he expects a response but especially that a lack of one doesn't stop him from chatting up the next person.  And although Hunter has no issues chatting up kids, he is especially engaging with adults which is both a blessing and a curse.

I am generally not opposed to chatting with strangers but sometimes I'm just not in the mood to be congenial.  Kids have lightning quick emotions whereas it takes me more than a second to move from grumpy to super happy (because I'm not nearly as prone to ADD as they are).  After I've had a tough morning cleaning up spills and refolding laundry that was already folded the night before and trying to get breakfast cleaned up and everyone is bounding off the walls because they need some outside time, I am not always as welcoming to the "oh, what a sweetheart" because I'd love to reply with some smartass remark like "Yeah? He's yours" and walk away.

Phew.  Even that made me feel much better.  I'll never give him to a total stranger and I will always play at the park because it feels good to play, even when I don't much feel like it.  I'm also glad he's not a brooding kid and that he likes to talk to people.  Some days though, I find it hard to take the compliments and the smiles when I would rather be at home locked away in a closet.  I think the following sums it up completely: "Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your kids."