My heart feels like it will burst open with love for you when I think about you at 12 years old. I don't know why I had some fears about you becoming a tween and entering middle school but you have truly been the most wonderful person to partner together to learn to navigate this new chapter in our lives. I will be honest, I was a little anxious about the whole middle school thing but you have communicated with me and completely put my worries to rest. You have demonstrated time and time again your overall maturity especially regarding important things and you are still so openly communicative with me, which I hope you always feel natural doing.
Your personality at 12 years old is still so consistent with traits we saw when you were 2 and 3 years old. You are very rule bound and incredibly patient and loving towards your sisters. They truly don't understand how great they have it many days. You are their leader, their natural example and you are always willing and able to be the first one to help them or include them in playing outside with all your friends. Recently, I watched your interacting with 8 friends that spent the entire Saturday mid day at our house. You are quick to engage others in games and make sure everyone truly understands the games. You definitely have a certain air of confidence and you sometimes can come across as bossy while playing sports games you are good at. While I think, it is in these almost daily neighborhood friend playdates where children learn how to interact with one another, we are starting to talk about it to make sure you are aware of it.
There is so much I love about what makes up Carter Brown. Your diligence and internal motivation to do things at your very best, you kind heart towards your sisters and friends. I love how sensitive you remain... definitely another consistent personally trait you have always demonstrated. We can be talking about nearly anything that you care about and you will well up with those same huge crocodile tears that you used to have at 18 months old. You are sensitive, passionate and you are a pleaser. I used to worry about you potentially would being too hard on yourself, but I think you manage it well, at this age. We will continue to keep an eye on that, as you get older.
You mean so much to me for so many reasons. The way you have helped me navigate parenting in the tween and middle school years and how incredibly helpful you are to our entree family dynamic. We are at the age, where I can start talking to you about why we make certain choices as parents, you truly seem to process it and understand the decision making we consider. It seriously inspires me so much. I love our relationship and how you know you can come to me for anything, and I will always give you honest answer, help you find or brainstorm what you need or help you figure out what you can do. The way you still come find me at 8PM or 9PM when you get home from basketball or soccer practice, just to give me a hug before going and taking a shower, means the absolute world to me. You still are up for a great cuddle and hug at anytime.
Carter - what do I hope for your for you and your life? I pray that you continue on the same trajectory - always giving your personal best and doing things that give you joy. I pray that you always know that I love you no matter what, not for what you accomplish, not how many points you score or how many A's you get, but for the effort and kind heart that are inside you. I pray that you you know that your best is enough for me and I pray that you always know that I am here to walk next to you, during this next chapter of your life.
With so much love,
Mom
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