A few weeks ago, after being particularly grumpy, I sat my kids down and had a little end of pregnancy talk with them. I explained that mommy gets very grumpy and moody in the last month of pregnancy. I tried to impress upon them that it wasn't anything they were doing, and that they were going to have to try and be patient with mommy. Then I asked them if they would be my special helpers over the next few weeks. They cheerfully agreed, and amazingly, have complied with such exactness that I feel compelled to declare them the best kids ever.
The list of little "surprises" (I hear them whispering to each other--"let's surprise mommy by...") that have been orchestrated in my behalf could go on and on, but a few examples include: always carrying their dishes over to the sink after meals--without being asked, wiping the sink and hanging up the towels after washing their hands (something I'm always nagging them about), folding their jammies and putting them back in their drawers after getting dressed--again, without being asked, and making their own beds and turning off their nightlights every morning right when they get up. Now most of their surprises have been simply doing things they normally have to do, just doing them without me having to ask or nag them; however, making their own beds has not been on their "chore" list as of yet. (My kids don't actually have set chores, they just help with what I ask them to.) This is mainly because I am such a perfectionist that I just prefer to make the beds myself. Maddi, however, being the mini-me that she is, surprised me one morning with her perfect imitation of my bed-making--putting the decorative pillows and throw blanket in exactly the same position I would have placed them and actually straightening the blankets perfectly. She even tucked in the sheets and blankets that hung out below the quilt. After making her own bed, she proceeded to teach Spencer how to make his bed, carefully showing him how his blankets and pillows went. They were both so proud when I came into their rooms. It was adorable! And they have done it again every morning since then. Every single morning. In some ways, I am so glad it was a chore I never assigned them since assigning it would have never yielded this success, or given them the obvious satisfaction that surprising me has. And this morning, when I had to un-make their beds to wash their sheets, I decided I had better take a few pictures first and post them on our blog for them, and everyone else to see. So here they are,
Maddi's bed
Spencer's bed
Thanks guys...you really are the best kids ever!!
1 comment:
I was hoping your neurotic-ism would skip a generation or two. Apparently not:) Poor girl.
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