It's that time of year again to stop and really reflect on who and what personality characteristics make up Carter at the age of 11. Traditionally, we have done that by a "Top 10 List," so drum roll please...
10. Cars: He drives his dad crazy pointing out cars and at 11 years of age, he says he wants a Chevy Colorado, as his first car. I have no idea where he ever saw one of these besides on the road. He says he like how it's a sporty truck.
9. School: Carter says science and math are his favorite. He still loves school and takes it seriously. It comes fairly easy for him and I feel like 5th grade has been a fairly light work load on him. The balance of of this, right now, is a gift and allowing him to participate in several sports and extra circular activities. It doesn't hurt that Mateo is in his class this year, so going to school to see your best friend all day, is always motivating.
8. Reading: Carter still enjoys reading but I did notice he is struggling to want to read certain chapter novels from school, especially those in Spanish. While we have always asked him to read both Spanish and English books, I have been reminded that he needs to be interested in what he is reading to continue to truly love it. I will always find him reading his random "Amazing Fact" books or his "Sports Illustrated for Kids" magazines so we recently encouraged him to start reading the first book of Harry Potter. Well, this time, compared to 2 years earlier, he couldn't put it down. He read it in just 4 days and wouldn't stop talking about it. When he finished the first one, his first words were, "This was the best book I have EVER read in my whole life. I wish I could be Harry Potter."
6. His sisters - Carter is always offering to help with anything that has to do with either Addison or Delaney. It could be helping Addie with basketball or Sonido or offering to read to or do legos with Delaney. In exact same form as when he was 2 and 3 years old, he will drop anything to be with them.
5. Being with his family: At 11 years old, Carter loves to cuddle and watch TV with all five of us. He truly still gets excited to all lay in bed together and watch Survivor, Planet Earth or a movie. He still always prefers to be next to me and is often disappointed when Delaney insists on laying next to me. He still wants to be close to us all the time. One night recently he was reading before bed while Delaney and I were in my bed watching TV and he asked to read in our nearby reading room.
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| My favorite regular memory of Carter getting home from practice around 8:30PM and always coming straight into my room to say hello and give me a hug, before jumping in the shower. |
4. Being outside: This is one of the things that has been on Carter's lists since birth. He loves not only to play sports outside, but play nerf gun wars, ride his bike or skateboard or just explore and make up his own things to do. Although he has had a video game console for over a year now, he has played an average of 1-2 hours a month, which is exactly what I hoped for by giving it to him.
3. Extra circular activities like Choir, Sonido & 5th Grade Strings: For a while now, Carter has shown to be very musically inclined and he definitely loves it. What started out a year ago with piano, the recorder and school choir has further developed into a passion for percussion with Sonido and the violin. I truly believe his school music teacher, Mr. Trevino, has been a key reason as to why Carter has taken to music. It truly shows how a teacher can positively influence a young child's life. Carter is very adamant about continuing to play music in the orchestra or band in middle school and is trying to decide now what to pursue.
2. Puzzles, games, gadgets - even more recently, taking photos with his Go Pro action camera and photography with my old Canon Mark II. He has learned how to shoot on manual and how to edit videos on the computer.
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| "Tiger" - photographed in manual by Carter Brown, 1 month shy of 11 years old. |
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| He loves making flip book type photograph series. |
- He loves whistling and recently figured out how to whistle extremely loud
- Drawing - he definitely has a talent and passion for drawing - both people and logos.
- Carter remains sensitive - emotional when he gets in trouble. For example, he got a recent 73 on a reading assignment. Before dinner, I went into the office where he was practicing his typing and asked how his day was and he just welled up with tears and whispered, “horrible.” He had made a 73 on a reading assignment and was beside himself.
- Carter's 11 year old interview video is recorded and will be a fun memory to look back on.
- Sleeps most nights 8:30PM till 6:10AM, wakes up easily and on his own with alarm.
- Grades: Straight A's except for a high B in Dual Language reading.
- Extracircular actives and what a normal week looks like for Carter:
- Usually at school early for Lighthouse Team pep rally or announcements
- 5th grade patrols everyday after school
- After school activities: Choir in the Fall and now Sonido Tuesdays and Thursdays. 5th grade strings practice is Monday and Wednesdays.
- Classics soccer - practices Tuesday & Thursdays with optional practices on Wednesdays from 6-7:30PM
- Cotillion starts this month on Wednesdays for 5 weeks
- Church choir on Wednesdays at 6PM
- Runner's Basketball Team practice (with Boston) on Wednesdays at 8PM
- Tiger's Basketball Team practice (Bruce's team) on Tuesday and Thursdays usually at 5PM.
- Soccer games typically on Fridays or Saturdays (a break in Dec & Jan)
- Currently in 2 basketball leagues: basketball games on Friday nights with Bruce and Saturdays with The Runners
- Helping run the school announcements every morning at 7:15AM.
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