look mom...clean plate!

I am not one who makes her children clean their plate when they have a meal. I at least want them to TRY everything that I put on there and eat a reasonable amount though. Carter is always so tickled with himself when he cleans his plate though. He will proudly hold up his empty plate and with a huge grin on his face proclaim "look mom...clean plate!" Well tonight he and Coleman had fish sticks, tater tots and fruit (one of those easy dinner nights when it all goes on one pan in the oven) for dinner. Coleman was in the high chair in the kitchen with me as I was piddling around in there and Carter was having a "picnic" in the living room watching Diego. After Coleman finished dinner I rolled him in the living room so he could have a Nilla wafer and watch Diego with Carter. Carter still had a good bit on his plate yet he told me he was finished. I showed him how much more I thought he should eat before deciding he was done. I left the room for a minute and when I returned, there he was puffed up with pride and said "look mom...clean plate!" I said "wow Carter, good job" and then looked over to see if Coleman was finished with his cookie. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw a HUGE grin on Coleman's face as he stuffed a fish stick and tater tot in his mouth simultaneously. No, Carter isn't feeding his dinner to the dog in order to call it quits, he's passing it along to his little brother...who loves every minute of it!