HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETER!

There are lots of words I could use to describe you, but the ones that always comes first to mind are "good natured".

When you were a year old, you would not go to sleep! You just climbed over the side of your crib, hang dropped to the floor and turned up wherever the action was. If the action happened to be your parents sleeping, (because it was night time,) you and your dad went downstairs and watched late night infomercials on TV. That's why I got a set of "Chef Tony" knives for Christmas that year.

You were a very round child. You had a round body and a very round head. when you were about three, you saw a baby picture of you on your elbows looking up at the camera, revealing a baby cleavage. You looked at it in disgust and said, "That's not me. That's Will. I DO NOT have a butt on my tummy"

By the time you were five, you started kindergarten. In spite of your irrepressible energy, you announced to your mother that you were going to sit still and behave at school. And you did. You could beat me at memory games and could do puzzles upside down.

You played Little League baseball every summer and also managed to fit in basketball and soccer. You have been dubbed "Sneaky Pete" or "Sneak" by your team mates for your speed and base stealing prowess.

Your uncle Tim calls you "Sweet P" and I think he knows what he is doing because you take after him in many ways.

You have showed a continuing interest in cooking. We made beautiful baguettes together once. We put a little too much cornmeal on the baking sheet and set off every smoke alarm in the house. The bread was delicious. We've made Eggs Benedict, ground lamb kebabs, pumpkin pie, and our latest triumph…smashed potatoes!

You just finished middle school with a 4 point average, and took your place on the "Wall of Fame" with your blazing fast times in the 70 and 200 meter hurdles!

You and your friend Gavin have yet to get very far on your treehouse, but a lot of time has gone into planning it, and you made some awesome cup holders out of nails!

Here's to many more years of athletic prowess, academic success and pleasantness!