Jackie Kennedy said it best.

Tonight after putting the kids to bed, I was catching up on some blog reading and could hear Carter talking to himself nearly 30 minutes after we had turned out the lights. Most evenings, I would have quietly walked in there and sweetly reminded my little rule follower that it is time to go to sleep. Factoring in the aspect, his daily sheet from school had written across it... "NO NAP TODAY", I should have probably not said it quite as "sweetly." However, a thought came into my head that I wanted to interview my little man and what better time than 9PM on a Monday night.... right?

Mom: Carter, what's your favorite color?
Carter: "Green mom."

Mom: What do you like to eat?
Carter: "ICE CREAM!!! Sometimes, at school, we get it for surprises. And cupcakes AND chocolate... YUMMY!!"

Mom: Who is your best friend?
Carter: "Cash and Vincent. And Nate. Hey mom, did you know that Nate starts with a "N?"

Mom: Where is your favorite place to go?
Carter: "Chuckie Cheese!"
Mom: Really??? You have only been there two times in your life and you cried both times when the big mouse came out.
Carter: "We go there if it is some body's birthday and MOM, there are games there!!!"

What is your favorite thing to do?
"Play.... and and (thinking) SWIM!!" Yes SWIM!!

Tell me about your favorite toys.
"Batman and Spider man. I love them."

What is your favorite show to watch?
Smiling at me, "Batman and Spider man."
After I tell him, "Silly... you have never even seen a Spider man show."
He says, "Mom, I think we need to get a Spider man show."
Get a Spider man show? How Carter?
Carter quickly looks over my shoulder at his piggy bank on his dresser and says, "I have money I have been saving mom."

Why do mommy and daddy go to work every day?
"So you can get money to get beautiful stuff."

What do you want to be when you grow up?
"I want to be what daddy is."

What makes you sad Carter?
"When Addie hits me."

What makes you happy?
"When Addie kisses me."

If we could go anywhere tomorrow morning, where do you want to go?
"HEB to get a toy like a race car or a backpack."

What do you pray everyday for Carter?
"Jesus... mom, is he strong? Why is he up on a cloud mom? Is he in outer space? I pray for daddy on an airplane and for Addie and I thank Him for mommy."

Carter, is there anything else you want me to think about when I think of you at 3?
"I am smart. I am... uhm..... sweet and I think I am loved."

With that unexpected last answer and a tear of happiness in my eye, I laid in bed cuddling with him and told him over and over, he is loved and never to forget that, no matter what!

I thought to myself how happy I was that I didn't come in here tonight and sternly tell him he had better go to to sleep because instead, I learned how much he takes in from me and the magnitude of the fact settled in that I can help mold this perfect new form of a human into a loving, sensitive and hard working man with every action and word that he sees and hears from me. Wow... what a job that is and one that I promise I won't mess up on (too much!)

I then suddenly remembered a quote I once read from Jackie Kennedy that I saw in a whole new light tonight, "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much."