"Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Everywhere..."

I went in to vacuum the girls' room today and I saw a few toys spilling out from under their beds. By the time I army crawled underneath and drug out all the junk that was under each bed, I couldn't believe my eyes! So that's how they have been able to clean up their room in record time lately...

 

Reese can be a great "picker-upper" when she wants to be. She loves to surprise us by picking up a certain room of the house, then leading us to it with our eyes closed and listen to us exclaim over and over what a great job she did.

Other times, when it's not a surprise, and we've actually sent her to pick up a specific room, she'll still come and lead us to her accomplishment and giggle when we say, "I don't know why you're taking us there now. There's no way you could have picked up so fast."

Then we have the times where she's in a mood. When it gets to the point that I just can't stand the sight of one more naked doll on the living room floor, I'll usually say lightheartedly, "Reese, can you start picking up...." to which I'll plan to finish with, "...and I'll be in to help you in a few minutes." But I never get to make it that far. "But I didn't make all this mess by myself!" she'll protest. True. She had two little pint sized helpers. But perhaps, if she had let me finish my sentence, she would realize I didn't intend for the weight of the world to be solely plopped on her little shoulders.

Of course, at this time, its' usually the end of the day, or we are getting ready to go somewhere, or some other point where my stress level is up to my chin. So, I'll snidely reply, "Well, I don't make most of the messes in this house by myself but I'm always cleaning them up! I don't dirty all the laundry, I don't eat off all the dishes, and I certainly don't smear my fingerprints on every last mirror in the house!! But you don't hear me whining and complaining when I have to clean all that up." (Ok, so that last sentence is a big fat lie, but I go ahead and throw it in as a token phrase of mommy-martyrdom.)

I did find some helpful items under their beds today...a long lost library book that I was just sure we would have to pay for...and the knob to their curtain rod, so perhaps now, the whole thing won't collapse everytime we open or close the curtains.

I also realized that I have absolutely and verifiably been telling the girls the truth when I assure them there are no monsters under their beds....there is no way they could have fit!