high maintenance

I think most of you know Josh as the quiet and subdue boy who lays on the floor watching other kids play or maybe sits on the sidelines entertained by other kids' dare devil antics at the playground. True, he is that. But there are other sides to Josh, too. One being the "high maintenance" side. This morning, after going #2, Josh bent over so I could clean off his rear end. This is customary. I think G-daddy instituted this and it has come in handy. As I was cleaning, Josh said, "hurry up mom!" Then, minutes later when we were finishing up the getting dressed process I asked Josh to put on his shoes (which had some dirt from yesterday's adventure in the backyard still on them), to which he replied, "you better clean then first." The glaring lack of "please" and "thank you" aside, he isn't always the quiet and obedient boy that he often comes across as when he is in public. He is high maintenance. Order, cleanliness, and safety are high on his list of priorities. And of course, as I am typing this, I just heard him say, "Excuse me Shadow." Sigh. Are the niceties reserved for the dog - the dog who could care less if he was stuck in a well or forgotten at the store?