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!

A Boy with Many Hats

Little Man is a boy, and boys wear hats.  It's a must.  

Before Cooper was born, he already had a little hat collection going.  However, shortly after he was born, we learned he HATED hats.  He wouldn't wear them.  He screamed and cried.  Even with the precious crocheted little bear cap I had made for him.  

We didn't give up hope though.  As he grew, we kept trying.  He kept refusing.  Even with the fisherman's hat that made his Halloween costume extra cute.  It was a no-go.  

 

With a little perseverance, he has learned that boys wear hats.  I think he's even starting to love them.  The other morning, I pulled out two of his hats and asked him which one he wanted that day.  He chose both.  At Lowe's yesterday, he tried to put the outdoor faucet cover we were buying on his head like a hat.  If Karl or I (yes, sometimes girls wear hats too, especially moms of little boys who wake up too early in the morning, thus preventing the mom from getting a shower that day) have on a hat, he likes to pull off our hat and wear it.  Backwards.  As long as he wears it, we're happy!

Yes, boys wear hats.  They make them look so big.  And they hide the fact that you haven't taken your son to get a much-needed hair cut!

A Man's Work

It's not easy being a little boy in this house.  We make you work.  Hard.  You have to earn your stay.

And if you do a good job, we give you a short juice break, but then it's back to work.

No free rides here.  

We have so thoroughly enjoyed this mild January and spent as much time as we can outside, as that is Cooper's favorite place to be.  A couple weeks ago, Karl was doing some yard work, and Cooper would not leave him alone.  He stayed right under Karl's feet (sometimes literally), and "helped" him so much.  At one point, Karl and I were putting trimmings in the wheel barrow, so Cooper started picking up trimmings (and mulch and leaves) and throwing them in too.  He knew what needed to be done, and he was so proud to chip in and help.  I have to admit, it was so cute to see our little boy be such a little man and take interest in all that rough, tough, hard labor men do! ;)

Christmas 2011

Santa Claus came to town, and he filled our house with presents galore!  Little Man somehow ended up on the nice list apparently.  Not a single piece of coal was anywhere to be found!  We did lots and lots of playing on Christmas morning and then had brunch with my family at our house.  After naps for all 3 of us, Karl's family came over that afternoon, and we had dinner at our house.  We wised up this year!  Instead of spending the day driving to see everyone, rushing here and there, and not getting to really enjoy the day, we had everyone come to us, and it was GREAT! :)  We really had a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Christmas!

Between the jolly old man in red and grandparents and uncles, Coop has lots of stuff to keep him busy through winter!  

His first truck

"What?! I can't drink my bottle and drive?  I don't get milk drunk like I used to, promise!"

He loved unwrapping the presents and was meticulous about getting every scrap of paper and tape off!

Crash!

Brunch Menu: Mimosas, coffee, grit casserole, cheese and sausage balls, fruit, ham, reindeer peanut butter cookies, and peppermint Oreo balls

 Of course, playing in empty boxes was better than any toy!

 Sweet girl trying to get her beauty rest...

 ...until the little beast came along!

 This little stinker was totally uninterested in his chair until he noticed Sadie in it!

 Oh, how he loves Mickey!  

 Dad and Coop playing with Dad's new turkey call

 When Niecee, Pappy, and Uncle Wade got here, he was well rehearsed on what to do!

 He got so very, very excited about his new shoes and immediately had to put them on!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!