Okay, cleaning is most definitely not my strong suit, but I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. I’m fairly certain that these will only work for those of you who are Ps on the Meyers-Briggs. Js, you might want to stop reading for fear your eyes will roll so far back in your head that you’ll never regain full use of them.

When it comes to work before play or vice versa, I have never been able to do either very well. I am not generally disciplined enough to get all my work done before I play, but I feel too guilty if I put work off completely to play first. So when I can, I alternate a little work with an equal amount of play.

For example, I set the kitchen timer for ten minutes and clean for that amount of time. When the timer beeps, I reset it for ten minutes and play with the kids until it beeps again. And repeat as needed until the house is picked up or the laundry is folded or whatever. Sometimes I can make the intervals longer, but I find that ten minutes is about as long as one or the other of my boys can go without needing some attention/intervention. And even on my most unmotivated days, I can usually make myself clean when I know I can take a break after just ten minutes. Of course, I’m not rigid about the timer (ahem, I’m a hopeless P after all): if I’m on a roll and the kiddos are quiet, I might clean a bit longer. Or if Simon pats a chair and asks me to color longer, why would I say no to that?

There are all kinds of ways to switch off work and rest: fold laundry while watching a tv show and put it away during commercials (when I was a kid, I would practice piano on commercials—no wonder I never got very good at it), straighten up the house for three songs then chill (or dance) for three, or finish one task (say, empty the dishwasher) then read one chapter of your current book. Sometimes I also alternate by counting: fold or hang up fifteen articles of clothing then read five blog posts from my reader, pick up or deal with fifteen things in one room and then move to the next (even if the first room isn’t done). Sometimes a change of scenery is all I need, so I will work in one room until I come across something that belongs in another room, then take that thing to the room where it belongs and work in that room until I come across something that belongs in another room, and so on.

Works for me.

This is Orange Dude (you know, from Dr. Suess’s The Foot Book). He was a gift to Simon for his birthday, and he has become a frequent companion. Most days Simon insists that Orange Dude sit in Daddy’s chair and eat lunch with us.

There are so many, many things that I know I should write down before I forget them, so here are a few more:

Almost always when anyone comes to visit, instead of a hug or even a simple hello, Simon wants to show you something. Just as you are reaching down to greet him, he will turn around and search for a toy or a book to show you. He will also do this if you greet him in his carseat (though his options are obviously limited to what few things might be in his reach) and even occasionally on the phone (like most kids, he doesn’t quite get that you can’t see through the phone). For awhile he wanted to show everyone “Baby!” but the novelty has worn off a bit, so he’s back to his airplanes and trucks.

Simon is getting better at talking on the phone, but I’m extremely thankful that my mom taught him to push the red (End) button, which is usually in the same place on any phone. This has cut down considerably on baby dialing.

His favorite phrase is, of course, “I Do!” which usually means either “I will help you/I will go with you” or “I will do it myself” (emphasis on “myself"). There is really no limit to his “helpfulness,” which sometimes really is helpful (fetching diapers), sometimes is neutral (going downstairs with me to “help” with laundry), and other times is not helpful at all (he can’t keep his hands off of the computer or cameras). Sometimes his helpfulness is just overkill (I can use the bathroom by myself—let’s just leave it at that).

As part of his insistence on “I Doooo!” he is starting to want to dress (and undress) himself. He can almost (but not quite, much to his frustration) get his coat on. The other day he was so adamant that I NOT help him with his hat that I had to lead him to the car “blindfolded” since he wouldn’t let me help him fold it back up above his eyes.

If Simon doesn’t know the answer to a question, he will think for a minute then say, “Ummm, Baby!” (Both “What does a giraffe say?” and “Did you toot?” have been answered this way, for example.)

He had a meltdown this morning because his bagel could not be put back together after he ripped it in half. The tantrum he threw would have been frustrating if it hadn’t been so typically two-year-old.

Watching the snow fall in beautiful big white clumps.
Missing my camera!
Hoping it might be warm enough tomorrow to let Simon play in the puddles. He discovered a few on our sidewalk on the way into the house today, and I would have loved to have been able to linger and let him explore and splash to his heart’s content. Alas, I had a hungry baby to attend to and lunch to get on the table and naps to put the boys down for and a messy house to pick up and . . . and . . . and . . . But tomorrow is a different story.
Looking forward to having my husband home for a three-day weekend, starting tomorrow (see how that works?).
Feeding Ian. Actually, it’s pretty much a given that whatever else I might be doing, I’m either getting ready to feed Ian or feeding him. The kid eats all the time.
Adjusting (quite well, generally) to life with two kiddos in the house. Some days are better than others, and so are some nights, but on the whole I just like it.
Drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper and craving Junior Mints.
Feeling proud of myself for exercising three days this week but planning to skip today. I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed in time this morning—if it were light longer, I’d love to go for a walk when Jason gets home, but I don’t think I can face the DVD player tonight.
Thinking about the whole idea of inspiration/motivation. Jason and I went on a date to (the Peacock and) Barnes and Noble last night (thank you, Mom and Dad), and sitting in an overstuffed chair with a stack of books to browse made me want to read (not just those books but read more in general) and write and sew and take pictures and organize my house. So today I’ve been thinking not only about doing those things but also about the more general feeling of wanting to do those things.
Watching Project Runway with friends tonight.
Planning to cook some freezer meals this weekend (and to post the recipes on Needs More Butter).
Praying differently these days about some bigger issues (no, you won’t be reading about them on the blog. Sorry) and being encouraged by how that is beginning to soften my heart.
Finishing (maybe tonight) The Two Towers and looking for a new fiction book to start (in addition to The Return of the King, of course).
Trying to find ways to be a bit (or a lot) more frugal this year. I hate to admit it, but it helps that I am not inclined to take two boys to Target just to pass the afternoon (Simon and I did that a lot).
Watching tv on streaming Netflix. We just finished season 3 of 30 Rock. It took a while for that show to grow on me, but boy did it.
Craving Junior Mints. I know I already said it. Seriously.
Listing new categories that I need for my blog (one being “Ian Clifford"). (This is for you, Jason, to see if you are reading this. Can you make that happen, please?)
Enjoying a few more minutes to myself before the end of naptime (but also greatly enjoying my big two-year-old and rather looking forward to hanging out with him more this afternoon).

Pasta is one of our “go-to” foods for Simon—he will almost always eat it. But when he was learning to feed himself, I couldn’t get him to eat long noodles (spaghetti, linguini, etc.)—they were just so messy and discouraging. Then we went to visit Jamie, and this little tip I picked up from her changed everything: after you’ve cooked the noodles, use a kitchen scissors (or any scissors, really) to cut them into small pieces. I prefer to cut the noodles before I add the sauce; it’s just a little less messy that way. (Of course, a knife works too, but the scissors are just genius.) Works for me.

And because it’s so cute, here’s a video of Simon eating spaghetti (and falling asleep).