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Tonight at dinner Brennan was being super annoying. We were all admittedly annoyed. He was shrieking and yelling and throwing things just to be ... well ... a you know.

No matter what Joe offered him for dinner, he rejected it. We all knew he was hungry, he just well ... felt like being ... a you know.

Finally Joe gave him an Oreo with the hope that once he was concentrating on that, we could slip in something slightly more nutritious.

But in between bites and sucking off frosting he continue to squeal. And then when we told Jack he couldn't have a cookie until his dinner was done.

"Sometimes I wish we only had one boy."

Joe and I quickly looked at each other.

"You mean if we have another baby, you want it to be a boy?" I asked quickly.

"No,'' he said. "I wish I was the only boy."

"Jack!" We both hushed.

Joe took the typical dad route.

"We don't say that! He's your brother!"

I took the middle sister approach.

"Jack, I know sometimes it's hard to be a brother but it's something you have to do. Everyone has fights with their brothers but it doesn't mean you don't want him here ... or you don't love him.''

"Yeah, Jack. Look at him! He's your best friend,'' Joe said.

"Well, I have friends at school who are more fun!" he said, grumbling.

"He's not always fun now but someday you will have tons of fun,'' I said. "I promise." (Instant flash in my head to fraternity parties and nights at the college bars.) "More fun than you can imagine."