Learning...

carter is continually surprising me and i am in complete denial that he is almost 10. i can also admit that i can be kind of a control freak. more in the way that through experience, i've learned that if i do it my way, then it gets done the way i like it, or the easy way, or then i don't have to deal with the fighting about it to get it done. and i know that raising my kids like this is only hurting them in the big picture but it can be so much calmer.
now i will say that carter is the best when it comes to "projects"! he is always looking out for me and is always wanting to help. he loves to clean and to do it all together. kindra "hates" him for it but we do have fun and i do get an opportunity to teach them. today was "how to pair and match up socks". i know. sad.
the other day carter had a doctor apt so he was with me alone in the afternoon before kindra came home from school. he was determined that he wanted to find a job to do. i was on the phone taking care of some stuff and mid conversation he came in and told me that he was going to unload the dishwasher. ok. easy enough. but when i finished up and went into the kitchen, i discovered that he had completely unloaded the dishes, loaded the dirty ones, started the dishwasher, wiped off the counter, and had put away the groceries.
yeah. i about DIED.
it amazes that he can't do "this", something so simple and yet he can do a job like this. i've never showed him how to do these things as a "chore". he has seen me do it or has helped with a bit of this or that but never all by himself.
yeah. i was floored and so proud and excited! what made me the happiest was to see how proud of himself that he was. things like this and seeing me so happy only help his self esteem.
let's just say that it was a great afternoon and one that we both learned something from...

(can i also admit that my head is about to blow up from the yelling/fighting that my two have done today!?! that dang wii some afternoons gets them so competitive and such poor sports! booooo! ok. just had to vent and keep it real....)