We Cleaned

Since January is normally unpleasant with rainy and cold weather, I do all my deep house cleaning during it since being warm and cozy inside is normally the only place to be.  I clean the windows and blinds, the doors and door frames, the baseboards and all woodwork, the cabinets and ceiling fans, etc.  I even clean the living room furniture since it gets lived on so much.  January is my month to get my little house shining.  Although I don't enjoy the work that goes into deep cleaning, I sure do love a clean house!

Although my goal is to be done with my "spring cleaning" by February 1st, I'm running a little behind this year.  My little helper often helps me by creating new messes for me to clean in the midst of whatever deep cleaning I'm trying to do at that time. 

This morning he helped me mop the kitchen floor after I vacuumed it.  He used Sadie's water from her water bowl.  He splashed and played and then dumped out what was left.  

Then he splashed and played in that.  He stood in it and once the little feeties in his pajamas had soaked up all they could, he walked around the house "mopping" the floor.  Once he was done playing with his wet footprints, he sprawled out on the floor in the leftover water and made water angels on the tile (unfortunately, I didn't get a picture in time).  

I sigh as I write this.  My little "helper."  Doing something he knows good and well he's not supposed to be doing.  Again.  This seems to be becoming too common in our days.  Discipline is hard work.  Hard.  Especially when you're dealing with a 17 month old.  I know he knows better, yet he does it anyway.

  

Normally I redirect or even give him a little pop on the back of the leg or a time out in the crib.  But this morning I felt a little defeated in my discipline attempts, so I grabbed the camera and photographed his disobedience.  Not the best way to get him to learn to obey, but since he hasn't gotten it all the many other times I've tried, I figured this one time of ignoring wouldn't create too much of a future problem.  At least I'm hoping it doesn't.

I drew the line, however, when he started trying to lick the water up off the floor like Sadie.

 In the meantime, Sadie just sat and watched her beloved food and water bowls being pounded on like drums and all her fresh water running down the cracks of the tile.  I wonder if she ever wonders what she did to deserve the treatment of her little brother.

 

Don't let this innocent look fool you though; she's pretty disobedient herself!