Carter is 5

Well my handsome boy, you are 5 years old. And lemme tell ya, as your Auntie Sarah put it, you have really "come into your own" this past few months. You are your own man on your own program. You have always been more quiet and shy, but lately you have been making your presence know and I love it. Most of the time. You always have a funny line or a quick comment that makes us laugh.

Gran- "Do you want me to pack up these extra cookies for you"
You- "Ya, you may as well"

You-"Uncle Dyan don't drink those water bottles, they are for lunches"
Dylan-"But I'm really thirsty"
You- "Well, just don't ask for one in your lunch"

You love basketball more than anything right now. I have at least one basketball net on every level of the house now, hundreds of pictures of the "Raptor" claw (drawn by you) an Indiana Pacers logo scotch taped to the hardwood in the kitchen (drawn by you) and a million other little bits of paper lying around with scores and team logos you've drawn. You also love Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, so much so that we are going to Washington, DC to see it at the Kennedy Center and check out the lights at the temple. You love your own company. You love your cousins, especially the "big boys"and you love sweets. You pay so much attention to detail, I am in awe of your memory and your ability to recall and replicate things. You are smart, respectful and intuitive. Your teacher said at our last interview that she wished she had an entire class of Carters. There are days in this estrogen charged house I wish the same. You are so much like you Dad, which makes my heart swell. You've inherited so many of his amazing qualities all the while being your own man. I love you my sweet boy, I hope you will always be a little bit of a mama'a boy. Even as I wrote this, you brought me a beautiful flower made out of cardboard. You truly are the sweetest. Happy Birthday!