CARTER is FOUR

Dear Carter,

You are four!!!! For whatever reason, it’s a birthday you’ve been talking so much about. I think you are finally getting the understanding of time. It feels, to you, like you’ve been 3.5 years old FOREVER!

This year has brought an incredible amount of knowledge and curiosity. You want to know everything about everything. Right now, you are very interested on how old or how big other people will be when you are a certain age or size. You’ll say, “Mama, when I am 42, how old will you be?” or “Mama, when I am this big, how big will you be?” You could seriously ask about that all.day.long. Sometimes we have to cut you off. Numbers are very intriguing to you- you love to count and I feel like you are way advanced for your age in your sense of numbers. You are also super into spelling and recognizing letters. Books take a very long time with you right now because you want to spell every word “I know how to spell oink!” You love books, love reading, and love especially 'reading' to Preston. You just are really smart and I am grateful.

You are also very verbal… oh so very verbal. You cannot answer a question with a simple yes or no, every answer has to be a long drawn out story. Ask anyone. I will say something like, “do you want to have some eggs for lunch?” And instead of just saying “yes please” or “no thank you” it’s “well, I think I would like eggs, but sometimes they are too hot and I try to put ketchup on them and it makes it better. I also like cheese on my eggs and sausage. I want to help you break the eggs and we have to be careful not to get any of the shell in there or else we have to get it out and then we wash our hands after….” You love to talk. We were just staying the weekend in South Haven with daddy’s roomates from college and all their kids. The big boys: Beckett, Brady, Nolan, and Judah were all going to sleep in a bunk room and you were going to sleep with them. You were so excited, I could tell. So much so that people kept reporting that you would not be quiet and go to sleep. I came into to lay with you to try and help and you let me know you were making bad choices. I asked what those were and you said, “Well, I just keep talking and people ask me to stop talking and I just keep doing it.” Then you proceeded to try and whisper all sorts of things to me too. You got kicked out. I think if anyone gives you the time of day, you will just keep going and going and going. You voice isn’t quiet either. Although it sometimes drives us a bit bananas, especially at bedtime, I’m so grateful you can express yourself and your feelings this way. You talk big and love big and feel big. Those are all parts of who you are.

It’s a really good thing you’re so absolutely adorable- it helps everyone around you be patient and just bask in all that is you. You haven’t been the easiest three year old- your tantrums are epic, you are determined, and stubborn, and get injured a lot. I will say, and your cuteness sure helps.

You know what else helps? Your knowledge of how to make others feel better. I can be so fuming frustrated with you and you will come over, stroke my face, say “My Mama” and kiss me and everything is better. It’s a cruel game you play.

If anyone were to ask you your favorite things, this is what you would say: bounce houses, Dstrict 5 (or Launch), fountains, windmills, rainbows, The Book With No Pictures, fireworks, hot air balloons, and bounce houses. You also love being outside, climbing trees, bonfires, doing big boy things with your big brothers, loving all over Preston, riding your bike, traveling, beaches, playing games, playing on any playgrounds, playing 'I spy,' and you say "I'm okay!" more than anyone I know (that's how often falls and trips and wipe outs occur with you). 

You are now fully potty trained. That’s been quite a journey and I am so proud of you. You had a slight regression a couple of months ago and were experiencing some accidents, but we were able to work it through!

Sleep has been interesting in your third year. You went through a pretty large sleep regression after Preston was born where you refused to nap and it created a lot of cranky evenings. Then, after we got that situated, you began to fall asleep all over your room. You'd get out of bed to play or read and then pass out. We've found you underneath your bed, next to your door (a lot), in your chair, behind your chair, inside the curtains, sleeping with your legs hanging over the bed (like you fell asleep sitting). Sometimes, as we would find you strewn about, you also might not be clothed.

I am really enjoying your interest in cooking. You like baking and creating with me and love cracking eggs, stirring things, mixing things, adding ingredients to a recipe, decorating cookies, and using the stove top. Just the other day we were baking ham and you went over to the oven, got out an oven mit, opened the oven and said, “I need to check my chicken.” Daddy couldn’t believe you were so confident in the kitchen that way. You also love to have opinions on what we should eat and when we should eat it and love to pick your lunch and breakfast. Thankfully, you will try anything and love almost anything so having you in the kitchen with me has really been fun.

Your imagination and pretend play is wonderful! Even though you love to play with people, you can be perfectly content playing alone making up stories and games. You are silly and your brothers love to play with you. There is no better giggle than yours- it’s infectious. You make us all laugh… a lot.  

Carter, you are special and unique, and memorable- anyone who spends any time with you knows that. I know how excited you are to be four and I can’t wait to see what the year brings for you. Keep being curious, keep showing love and affection, keep being open to try new things. You will no doubt continue to keep us all on our toes.

 My one and only Bing, I love you so. Happy happy birthday to you.

-Mama