(look closely at the last photo. Brevitt, 2nd one standing from left to right, is caught on tv causing a raucous with his friends at an Outlaws Lacrosse game)
Brevitt was nicknamed Thumper by his Aunt Michele because if he is not running into glass windows or thumping himself down on your lap, he is thumping himself down at your feet as he falls on his face. It is lucky that he has such a good sense of humor about himself. It
Tryouts for the school’s spring play is this week and this is the first year that Brevitt, is taking it seriously. All his life he has been a performer but he has shied away from actually taking it to the stage. When I caught wind that he was going to play the song Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater on the piano for tryouts I casually mentioned that he should download the lyrics from his favorite song and sing to the jury instead. Now he is incessantly practicing the song, “Brighter Side” by OPM, in front of his reflection in the oven. I am amazed at his voice and his ability to learn the lyrics so quickly. Tucker, who is Brevitt’s little follower, stands by him belting out his favorite song, “We Will Rock You”, by Queen.
Brevitt’s anxiety seems to be dissipating and he is far more comfortable with himself and his physicality. His teachers have even been able to remove the gel hand exercise ball that they cleverly gave him to dispel his fidgeting.
It is not just Brevitt’s teachers that have learned how to manage Brevitt. It is also his friends that accept his high energy and his undying affection letting him drape his arm around their shoulders as they walk around the school campus. Once after driving Brevitt and his friend Preston in the car for an hour I checked in with Preston to see how he was faring. He smiled and reassured me that he was used to it and he was doing alright. It’s a good thing that Brevitt is so lovable.
Brevitt has gone through phases all of his life. He can be an angel, fluttering about with huge, beautiful white feathery wings protruding from his tiny shoulder blades and a halo glowing above his head, showering his love on his brothers and all babies and animals. The devil in him begins to emerge after about ten days and smoking, stubbly horns being to protrude from his head. The wings retract and an arrow of a tail grows from his bottom. When I am teetering on the edge of patience, I warn him that if I don’t see the wings soon I will make a field goal out of his little body.
My most common way to control Brevitt used to be to wrestle him to the floor and communicate with him until he consented to behave better. As he grows like a weed I am finding better ways of communicating before the reversal happens.
When he was six my mother and I took him to dinner in Florida with some of her friends. His behavior was so atrocious that I sent him outside to calm down. He sheepishly returned to the table and whispered in my ear that he needed to speak with me. We went to the other side of the restaurant, away from all the noise, and talked for an hour. His true theatrical abilities were revealed as he pleaded with me to understand all of the injustices that have happened to him in his life. He even went so far as to say that the day that Axel was born he slapped Brevitt in the face and has gotten his way ever since. At parenting class they warned me not to buy in to these dramatics.
I’m certain that his placement in the family as the oldest child in addition to be a Virgo, like his father and my father, helps to explain part of his character. He has high anxiety when starting something new and cannot relax until he perfects his endeavor. Prior to turning nine it was like pulling teeth to get him to try anything that he was not familiar with.
Now with a more capable, athletic body and a greater ability to focus he is more ready for the challenges to come his way. He knows how to use him charm to get what he wants but he has yet to learn how to charm those who are not taken in by him immediately.
Next winter he is going to enter the world of free-style skiing. I am filled with dread since he is already called “Big Air Brev” by his ski instructor but I feel that he is going to find the perfect place to expend all of his energy, into the air.
