Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Little Helpers

I constantly wonder how I can make helping mommy look or sound fun. Apparently I haven't found it yet. Everything I say (even bribery with chocolate or lollipops) has not seemed to work. Ethan's stock answer is , "I can't right now because I'm __________." [to tired, sick, wearing a shirt] pretty much anything that would sound like an excuse to a four year old.
Hannah eagerly answers with a "YEAH!" and then gets distracted the second she leaves to do the "chore".
Grant and Louie are useless. I'm done trying with them.

So this topic brings me to todays post. We've been trying the whole have-to-clean-up-before-we-start-something-new routine. And I guess you could say it's going pretty well. It takes A LOT of help on our part to get them to actually do it, but it's teaching them something (i hope). So today, I'm loading the dishwasher while the kids are playing upstairs. Both come down and Ethan says, "puh! ewww, yuck, I can smell Hannah's poopy diaper!" (This would be the third one of the day. She's obviously sick).
"Hannah did you poop?"
"ya, i poop." (can you tell we need to start potty training!?)
"ok, mommy has a few more dishes to go, can you go get your diaper and the wipes for me and I'll be right there to change you?"
"YEAH!"
Off they go into the living room.
Then. It happens.
Ethan decides right then that this would be the perfect time to be mommy's little helper.
Right then. My hands are wet and soapy. Louie's scratching at the door. Grant needs a bottle. Ethan wants to change Hannah's diaper. yeah. ok. you get what I'm saying here?
He comes in the kitchen with a poopy wipe in his hand saying, "eww..this stinks!" (I can't control my laughter while typing this)
I freak!
I enter the living room to find 3 wipes (dirty) on the floor next to a filled diaper and hannah staring up at me, with NOTHING but carpet underneath her butt. (Did I mention she was sick!?)

So, you can't clean up the legos cause you "have to get underwear on". You can't put your clothes away because you're "wearing socks". You can't even eat your food, because you're "seeing what that noise is". But you WANT to change a nasty diarrhea poop of your sister's because you're 4 and you know how to do it!??!?!

I need the number to the nearest mental hospital.

3 comments:

Jen dare said...

can you believe that with four kids that NEVER happened even once?!!? so funny but poor Hannah...i wonder what else Ethan will con her into doing!??!!?

Mandy said...

O.M.G. Laughing so hard. I don't even know what to say. Stories to record for the future. I know we think we are doing that because we are "blogging" them... but really? I saw Terminator... I know what the future holds.

lisa said...

That is hilarious. Great story!!!!!