And I know he reads my blog without asking permission, too.

This afternoon Tre watched Sophia for an hour while Clay and I napped (Sophia does not sleep. She's just not that kind of baby, it turns out. This is what my parents would call KARMA if they believed in such a thing. As is, they just laugh gaily and pat her on her downy, non-sleeping head). After we got up, Tre went into the kitchen and made chicken tetrazzini for dinner. And while it was in the oven, he emptied the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen. And then he set the table.

And I am not even making any of that up.

I tell you all this not so I can brag on my son (although dude. Thass my boy), but to remind myself. This is the same boy that I bellowed at this morning because he was fighting with Raphael AGAIN and yes, Raphael is just as responsible for the fight, but for heaven's sake, WHO IS THE 14 year old again? Because I wouldn't expect it to be the one yelling LIKE THAT (hahahahahaha, I just re-read this sentence and realized that I just confessed to yelling at my son because he was yelling like a little kid. HAHAHAHAHAHA).

It took me a good two years to regain my equilibrium with Tre after he hit adolescence. Seriously, ever since he turned twelve, my mental video clip montage of his life is punctuated by me, whining "he is just such a TEEN. He is SO ADOLESCENT."

I sort of want to punch me in the neck, when I watch my mental video clip montage.

Of course he's so adolescent. He's - wait for it - an adolescent. And in keeping with the nature of this era, he's up and down, hot and cold, child and near-adult. He's been in such emotional turmoil that he's almost as bad as me.

I think we're finding our footing here. He doesn't seem to be willing to go backwards, toward childhood, and I'm beginning to see the beauty of what lies ahead.

He's a good kid a sweet boy a fine young man.

Comments

[Grandma Connie]

Kira, I found this in my Grandma calendar someone gave me. Don't know who Dr. Frank Crane is but---"Remember that when in their teens children need more love, more companionship, more sympathy and more attention than they ever needed before or will ever need again" I know Tre gets that from you and that he IS a good teen! Love you. G-ma

[Katie @ Can't Get There From Here]

You must tell me your secrets. I have a sinking feeling my 5- and 3-year-old girls are one day going to insist on being adolescents, too. Sounds like you are doing a fabulous job!

[Kristy]

You're setting him aside to marry Samantha someday, right? She makes good cake, have i told you that before?

[Clay]

I wonder how we can get him to do the same in the garage? Oh well I'm just happy that he is such a great kid.

[jennie]

Clean your own garage dad!!!

[Tre]

yeah dad clean your own garage!!

[mirdy]

I couldn't agree more... he's one fine man!