So, things just keep splashing along over here at our house. I have four full-time re-arrangers on staff, and let me tell you, they do not slack off. When they are on the job, they really put their minds to it, and use the proverbial elbow grease.The twins have become enamored of doing chores – usually with the laundry, which involves snagging whatever they can reach out of the laundry basket or off the table and charging off to stuff it into something somewhere. They also rearrange their room every time they think about napping. They do this by wildly skooching their cribs around until they can grab hands and work as a team. Sometimes in their aimless wanderings, they chance to pass by the changing table close enough to grab the wet wipes, which I believe they scrapbook about later, with lots of special words like experience and dream in fancy fonts around the pictures.These helpers of mine are so diligent that I have taken to loading the dishwasher in secret. I prepare all the dishes in the sink for quick entry, check to see if anyone is lurking,  crack it open, and start chucking. I don’t know how it is, but one dish-clack in, and I hear a delighted scream and pounding fat feet. They round the corner as I slam it back shut and wipe the sweat from my brow. Often times this is just a half-time break, and I have to go pretend to do something else for a while.This morning my husband was making scrambled eggs, and as he scrambled, this team of efficiency snuck up behind him and took the egg carton off the counter and set it on the floor. We both heard it without hearing it, if you know what I mean. They were moving those eggs as fast as they could out of the carton and throwing them into the sink. Even after he saw it, and tried to stop it, I think they got another three rounds off. Meanwhile, I had to snake the battery out of our kitchen clock for something else, and you would be surprised how much of the time I can believe it is 9:15.
0
0
Rachel,
It is so fun to hear about your little ones! I would love to see more pictures.
Ha, Ha! This had me laughing so hard…..I follow the same dishwasher loading routine and like you said, it usually takes two bouts to load because my little helper is there before I can finish the first time. 🙂
Are your twins climbers? My youngest child (16 months), Vance, is the first climber we’ve encountered in our home and I sometimes find it hard to believe the places I find him. Today I ran to the bathroom (oh the danger that can happen in a quick potty break) and came back to find my son sitting proudly in the middle of the dining room table where he was proceeding to remove the pits from all of the apricots I had sitting so serenely in a bowl of fresh fruit. Not eating the apricots, just pitting them for me.
Later on he had climbed onto the piano bench and from there, onto the piano itself. He was standing on the keys and picking up the giant pillar candles I have on top and smelling them!
oh, goodness, what a hoot. My 22 month old boy does the same thing with the laundry and the dishwasher. What is up with that? 🙂
I love your posts! Hilarious.
Watching twins is definitely a full-time job! My little brothers did the same kind of fiascos when they were toddlers… the dishwasher thing is so true. But they thought it was immensely fun to climb into the dishwasher, so they’d empty out whatever was in the way and then just knee themselves up onto it and perch there.
So funny! It’s wonderful to see how much you enjoy them. These days are really the best…
Loved the pounding fat feet. I think someone else in the Wilson clan should be writing books….
I loved reading this post, but at the same time, I don’t really ever find myself laughing about things like broken eggs and prolonged, not-so-sleepy naptimes. I have two boys (2 and 3 yrs) who are into just about everything they shouldn’t be. I feel like I spend a lot of time being irritated- not knowing when and/or if to punish for busy-ness. Do you have any advice?
That really made me laugh…
I’m nine years older than my twin sisters and their most famous moment was getting into the Crisco canister. They greased up the entire kitchen and themselves, complete with punk-rock hairdos. The microwave took weeks to feel “normal” again. I’m sure my mom was off folding that never-ending laundry before they could haul off with the socks.
This post was very timely! I’m nursing my 6-week-old son, and as soon as he’s done, I have the daunting task of tidying up the house that my almost-3-year-old-son and 18-month old daughter have re-arranged. I also need to get dinner on the table for my work-weary husband. The sense of humor that you told your tale with has put a smile on my face and reminded me of what’s real and important. 🙂 Thank you!
I must say, I often feel like Adena. And I have only ONE toddler! There are days where I totally can appreciate the humour in her rearranging skills and other days I just want to rip my hair out!
I told my husband the other day that i just want to go into total isolation for 24 hours – don’t want to talk/see/interact with anyone and just hibernate and find some sanity and quiet in my mind again!
That, however, is not possible, because I think I prayed a prayer asking for patience a while back, and now I’m receiving some training. 🙂
Haha!!
Another demonstration of the ‘Wilson’ writing gene…
Maybe she’s whipping up cute little bottoms?
Rachel, that is so funny about the eggs! 🙂
Franci,
I bet we all know that feeling of wanting a 24-hour binge of solitude. But reality is, a quickie two-minute time-out will usually do the trick. Well, make that a ten minute time out.
Blessings on your mothering!
Adena,
Yes, I have a spot of advice for you. Discipline your own irritability first. Pray in advance for grace. Ask God for a perspective on the kind of mom you’re being. Instead of scolding the boys, scold yourself for being annoyed. You will be mighty relieved to see that go. I know this is a quick answer, but God loves to help us overcome our besetting sins.
Nancy, I was a little surprised at your response above. I believe you had some tired, discouraged young mothers looking for help and encouragement in the area of discipline, but you told them to check their own attitudes instead. While I agree that Mom’s attitude sets the pace for the whole family, there is also a very definite need for consistent and loving discipline in the home. I am one of those mothers who is blessed with grown children starting their own families while I still have young children in my home. I learned long ago that early training made my days with them a joy. I teach them while they are very young to listen for my voice, to come immediately when they are called, to obey what they are asked to do or not do. I speak the commands quietly and lovingly so that I never have a need to yell, and I try never give a command that I am unwilling or unable to follow up on immediately. (And yes, I have had to stop feeding a baby or some such thing to follow up and let them know that Mommie means what she says!) No idle threats, no counting. Just firm, consistent, loving discipline to the best of my ability, and yes, I do spank them for clear disobedience but not childish mistakes. I have very, very happy children who know how to behave in all sorts of situations: running and playing at the park, interacting at school time, sitting quietly in church, helping prepare dinner for Daddie – whatever! And I would have a dozen more with great joy, but I imagine I am at the point where I will be enjoying far more grandchildren in the future than I will babies of my own. Seeing how well my older children interact with the younger children, I look forward to that, too!!
More Puddleglum,
My opinion: young children not under direct and proximate supervision are not allowed in kitchens. Too much danger available (hot stuff/sharp stuff). The fact that they were behaving as they were tells me that the children perceived that as allowable behavior.
I first started reading Nancy’s books when my oldest was 4, going on 5. Her books (and Doug’s books) knocked my socks off in their call to humility in authority in parenting. I found their books unique in that they called parents to confess their own sins and their own need for God’s grace (and humor!). When I confessed my own selfishness and laziness, it absolutely freed me. The confessing is still going on, but I can attest to the fact that though Nancy’s advice might sting, it has weighty, wonderful Truth. The Lord has been faithful to discipline me in love and to teach me to do the same for my children. I am far from perfect in it, and that’s when their teachings on sanctification, contentment, and joy come in.
Gray-
They certainly do see it as allowable behavior (because in our house it is), and sometimes I let them help me load the dishwasher, or make cookies, or whatever, so the kitchen is a real hot-spot of fun times in our house. However, they have a firm grasp of the consequences of getting into the garbage – it’s all in the battles you pick!