CARTER IS SIX

Dear Carter,

HAPPY SIXTH BIRTHDAY, BING! You’ve been very excited to turn six and are always looking to the next things you can do when you get bigger. Meanwhile, I am trying to just slow down time because every time I look at you I see a very, very rolly and smiley baby. 

You are almost done with the strangest kindergarten year ever.

In a way, this pandemic has actually given you such a gift for kindergarten. Whether online or in person, you’ve never had to go to a full day of school. I think that’s pretty great for a 5 year old! It’s given us more time to be together. This has all been challenging, also, because you’ve not had a typical school experience yet. There is a lot for you to learn at how to “do” school: raising your hand, taking your time on work, only talking at appropriate times, etc. So far, though, you’ve been a friend to all, a hard worker, and someone everyone can count on to move discussions forward. 

This year, I’ve watched you become a reader… and I seriously helped teach you how to read! It’s amazing! Your mathematical thinking is far beyond your years- listening to you explain how you got an answer sometimes blows me away. You’re not super keen on doing work in the traditional way and often push back with me when it’s time to get down to business. I have to try to conceal the learning in fun games ;) 

Carter, you spend hours on the trampoline and would ride your bike all day every day.

You’re not always game to hike or go for walks. When we hike together, we often find you sitting on a random log or stopping to try to climb a tree and then will sprint forward to keep up and do the same thing all over again. You are fairly fearless, which makes me nervous… a lot. There’s not a thing you won’t climb, a slide you won’t go down, a top of a structure you won’t try to jump off. Many times you’ve made others gasp out loud worried for your safety or if you are hurt like the one time this winter when you hit a huge bump on a sledding hill and went airborne landing on your face and belly. As others cringed, Daddy sat stone faced and was zero percent surprised when you popped up, shook off the snow from your body, and went running down the rest of the hill to fetch your sled. You are also currently obsessed with building domino shapes and doing dot-to-dots. 

It is nearly impossible to wipe you out. Lately, no matter how much playing we’ve had in our day, you are not tired at night and fresh as a daisy early in the morning. Even when we spend hours and hours outside, hike for miles, or have a jam-packed day, you still seem to contain just as much Carter energy. If you are ever whipped at the end of the day, Daddy and I consider it a HUGE victory. We often high five each other when we find you in your room passed out asleep. 

You and I love to do all kinds of things together, Bing.

It could be cooking or baking, playing the baby game, playing with toys, or snuggling together. I know you love me in a special way and I am so grateful for that. Now that you are back in person for school, you’ve had a hard time every so often and miss me during the school day. I’m glad the kisses in your pocket are helping. Even though anyone who knows you know that I am very important to you, you've begun already to look for a suitable wife and have had crushes on two girls already in kindergarten. You've just let me know you think you're in love with one of them. Honestly, all you want is someday to be a great dad and I think that's the cutest thing ever.  

In this next year, I hope that you continue to play so well with others and grow your friendships. I also hope you find some things like you love- whether that’s a sport or other activity. You’ve not been able to explore your passions much in this last year. We will keep working on identifying our feelings, talking at a reasonable volume, and growing in our motivation to work hard when it’s time. I hope that you continue to advance in math and grow into an avid reader! 

I look forward to being beside you as you grow and learn during this next year.

I love you so much, Bing!!

Love,

Mama