Our own Dennis the Menace

We have a little boy on our cul-de-sac that we call Dennis the Menace. He looks and acts just like the true character. White blond hair that is sticking up on top in the back and always into mischief. He is as cute as can be but equally gets on your last nerve. We have to keep our front door locked because he will just walk right into our house. And if he does ring the doorbell it is never just once - he pushes the button about 15 times. Little fart! About a year ago he rang the doorbell (multiple times so we knew it was him) and then ran off. When my husband opened the door he had put a dead rabbit on our front porch!! We have a basketball goal that the kids like to play with outside but they know as soon as they go out Dennis will be over and be bugging the daylights out of them. You just can't catch any relief. "Dennis" has recently learned how to ride his bicycle without training wheels so he is out night and day on his bike. He doesn't stop well so he has crashed into the back of my car and put a little scratch in it. Uuugh! Each time I pull into the driveway Dennis will ride over and ask if K can play. K is 13 and in 7th grade and Dennis is 7 and in 1st grade - so I have to make up little white lies because I know K has no interest in playing with him. So I tell him what K is doing (eating dinner, getting ready to go shopping, etc.) and each time after I tell him he will then come back with in the sweetest high pitched voice "after she is done (doing X) can she come play with me?" I tell him we will see and he is happy with that until he is bored and comes to ring the doorbell or has to go in. If we do leave to go somewhere and don't get back until late I always tease K and tell her to not forget that Dennis wants to play with her.

Our little street would be boring without Dennis. There is never a dull moment and I am sure he still has plenty tricks up his sleeve to share with us as he grows older.