Thursday, January 8, 2009

Mr.P the Cleaner

So the 3 older kids are all back at school (sad face...I love when they're home) and Jeremy is back at work with no more holidays to look forward to having off anytime soon and the house is quiet during the days and back to normal with just me and Mr.P. He surprised me this evening when I called him and Sabrina upstairs to the playroom after dinner to help me clean it up. I had just told Jeremy to beware of the whining that was about to happen and when I walked to the playroom getting ready to call them up....TA-DA...it was already done!! I was really surprised. I called both of them up and asked them about it. Mr.P said that he had cleaned it and proceeded to inform me that he had cleaned everyone's bedrooms too. I just looked at him for a second and then walked to Vanessa's room. The floor was all cleaned up and every piece of clothing was jam packed into one drawer that was all the way open in her chest of drawers. I'm surprised that thing didn't fall forward with all the weight! The stuffed animals were all in a pile. He did what he could with everything in there until the floor was not only visible, but cleared. Vanessa was as surprised as I was because she had thought that I cleaned it while she was at school. Yeah, right. I don't think I've picked up any of my kids' rooms once they were able to toddle their clothes the laundry. I try to push independence as much as possible in this house. I still guide them on what needs to be done, but I don't do it. By this time, Mr.P is quite proud of himself as he's seeing the shock and pleased looks on our faces and grabs my hand to show me how he's cleaned up "Brina's" room and his own. I was really proud of that kid! I asked him why he did all of that cleaning and he said it was because I was cleaning the downstairs, so he was going to do the upstairs. What a man!!!

2009

2009 has gotten off to a pretty smooth start, at least in our house anyway. We rang in new new year by throwing a party with a few family members and some of the friends that we've made in the year and 4 months that we've been here.

Sabrina seemed to be the most thrilled about the excitement of the year change at midnight. She COULD NOT WAIT to start "screaming and yelling and making lots of noise" when it was time to count down. I'm not sure it was everything that she had dreamed it would be. lol I'm not sure exactly what she was expecting. I get this mental image of everyone at our party running around yelling and screaming with their arms flailing around in a panic.

None of us have really talked about big resolutions. Of course, Jeremy and I have talked about the usual eating healthier and exercising more. I don't think I've talked to a grown person who hasn't though. And to tell you the truth, I have yet to start that up. Yeah, I'm that focused. Vanessa did say that she'd like to learn how to type with the correct fingerings and without looking down at the keyboard by the end of the year. I'm sure I can help her reach that goal. And Miss Sabrina came home from her last day of kindergarten, before Christmas break, with a resolution written down. "My new years resolution is to spend more time with my family." I read it and thought, "What the??" I'm not sure who helped her think of that one or if she just came up with that on her own. She doesn't do much else besides spend time with her family. She's 5.