The one that makes me go hmmmm.......

So today is Carson's birthday. My second in the birth order, the meat (according to Bryson's theory.)
Carson came into this world marching to the beat of his own little drum. What ever the norm or expected was, he did the opposite. He crawled at 4 months and was walking at 8 1/2 months. I should've known then I was in for trouble.

Any long time friend or family member has heard many a "Carson Story" and each has their favorite. Carson has a very curious personality. I've often said he has my "do anything" personality and Lee's "figure out anything and everything" personality. Together.....a lethal combination. I really don't have enough time in one day to go into depth or even mention every thing he has done, or tried, but I do know it felt like I went from age 22, when he was born, to age 52 by the time he was 3.

Carson was my one. You know that one that makes you rethink the whole idea of being a parent, and question your very capabilities of not only raising such a child, but surviving one. Even my pediatrician use to say, "If he doesn't inadvertently kill himself or anyone else by the time he's 18, I think you've got one heck of a brilliant kid on your hands." With complete faith in Dr. Nicholson, my goal became just basic survival for him and anyone around him from that point on.

When Carson was little, he had the tenacity and the perseverance of no one else I'd ever met. If he had something on his mind, no punishment, no deadbolts, restraints, "homemade" cages, nothing could stop him. We called him Houdini because he could figure out how to get out of anything.

This is how Carson's mind works. He gets a thought or an idea into his mind of something he does or does not want to do. Unless there is a logical reason as to why he should or shouldn't do it, he moves forward. He's actually a very logical person. It makes perfect sense. Why not?

When he was in first grade i got a note home from the school librarian (a note from the teacher I was use to, but the librarian?) She said she was concerned because Carson never checked any books out. When the kids come into the library, that's what is expected of them, and most are excited at the idea. Not Carson. When I asked him about it, he simply said, "Why? We have a ton of books at home. If I want to read a book, I'll read one of those."

There was the time in running club when I got a note home from the running coach that every time Carson rounded the last corner of field (the homestretch), he would somersault or hop, or cartwheel or when he would run, he'd run backwards. Again, I asked Carson about it and he said, "They said if we get tired not to stop, to walk or slow down, but not stop. I was tired of running so I somersault or cartwheel to the end." I should have known. When I first asked him about doing running club he said. "What do they do?" I said, "Run." He said, "They just run around and around the school and park?" I said, "Yeah, pretty much." To which he said, "Are they going anywhere?" Exasperated, I said, "No." To which he replied, "Then why?" Needless to say, I made him do it because Bryson was doing it and some of his friends were doing it.

Currently his teacher at school doesn't count homework into the students overall grade and, there is no real consequence if the homework isn't done except that their paper shows a zero (even though it's not calculated into the grade). After figuring this out in the first week of school, Carson never did another homework assignment for the rest of the quarter. At parent/teacher conferences the teacher was quite concerned about it. When I sat Carson down to discuss it he said, "Did you see my grades? All A's and one B. That's with doing no homework. Why should I do my homework if it doesn't affect my grades?" When I told that to the teacher she didn't know what to say. She said all the other kids do their homework because that's what is excpected of them. She said he's the only one not doing it.

You know, I spent so many years trying to force Carson to be more "main stream". Why couldn't he just move along with the "herd"? Just check out a freakin' book like everyone else! But, I'm so glad he is who he is. I wouldn't change it for anything. He asks why. I think that's a good thing. Everyone could use a little more "why" in their life.

Ironically enough, it's the very qualities that drove me to the moon when he was younger that are the ones I pray he keeps, like his thirst to know, learn and try everything. His peaked curiosity. His "i don't really care what anyone else is doing, or how they're doing it, this is how I do it." He's a leader, not a follower. His "nothing gets in my way or slows me down attitude". Carson, I hope you always keep that vivacious little spirit. And don't let anyone, including dad and I, break you of it!

Here are just a few of the reasons why I couldn't live without him:

He has such a tenderheart.
He gives the best hugs, hands down. When he hugs me, I can feel how much he loves me all the way down to my toes!
I love his laugh. (What can I say, I love to hear my kids laughing...one of the best sounds ever!)
I love how he "gets" the same things I do and we can chuckle about it on the sly.
I couldn't have said this 5 years ago, but I LOVE his curiosity!

(He once took a hoe to the side of our house, all the way down to the chicken wire just to see "what the house was made of".)

I love that he has to know "why" about everything!
He is very wise for his age.
I love how he can figure out anything and everything. (Again, something I couldn't have said a few years ago, but a quality I have come to love.)
I love, love, love his sincerity. If Carson says it, he means it.

Here's just one of my more memorable "Carson" moments:

One time I had both Carson and Bryson in the kid care at the gym while I was working out. Halfway through my workout I heard my name being paged over the intercom to please come to kid care. I walked over to find utter chaos.

Apparently, several of the kids had been taken into the gymnasium to bounce around a bunch of balls and let off extra energy. A good idea I'm sure they thought, "They're completely contained, there's no way they can get out, there's nothing in there except a couple basketball hoops and a bunch of balls, what could they hurt?" So there's all the kids, squealing in delight that they can throw and kick the balls as hard as they want. They're all doing what was assumed that they would do in a basketball court full of balls. Everyone that is except Carson. Yep, leave it to him to find the fire extinguisher hanging on the wall, just with in reach of a 2 year old on tiptoe. Carson managed to maneuver the extinguisher down, pulled the pin and found a great pleasure in coating the entire gym, children that couldn't run fast enough included, in a nice white foam.

It was about the time I got to the kid care area that I noticed the fire department pulling up. Apparently, they are the only ones that can come in and clean up fire extinguishing foam. Upon entering the kid care, i am met with kids in tears covered in white and some very confused childcare workers who still couldn't figure out how Carson managed this feat. And Carson, with the same look he always had in instances like this, which is the expression on his face in the above picture like, "What?"

Happy Birthday Carson! I love you like heck!!!