Prioritizing and Multitasking

Eliot pulled open the kitchen cabinet door next to the fridge.  This particular cabinet holds our cutting boards, tupperware, baking supplies, and breakfast foods.  He pulled everything out.  And once everything was on the floor, he pulled every packet of oatmeal from the box and every breakfast bar from its container.  Normally, I would fret the moment he opened the door, but I let him have at it while I prepped the bread machine for rolls and narrating the entire situation to Eliot.  "OK!  Now we're putting in four cups of flour!  One!  Two!  Three! Four!"  You get the idea.

Before, I banned Eliot from the kitchen.  It was dangerous!  He could get into the dogs' water bowl!  When Chris and I made dinner, it was either a one-man job or an event full of baby tears by the baby gate.  But I gave all that up and let go of my mess phobia.  Eliot now plays in the kitchen while we cook.  Sometimes it takes longer.  Sometimes we have to fight a little bit to keep him away from the hot oven.  Overall, though, we're much happier.

And did you know that paper towels are one of the coolest baby toys?  Eliot loves to wipe the floors with a paper towel.

Also, did you know that messes can be cleaned up?  After I finished making our bread, Eliot and I put everything back in the cabinet together.  It only took about three minutes.

By the way, I have made a lot of progress in the office/playroom.  Here is the office side.  It isn't there all the way because I plan to get rid of that bookcase (we have another bookcase in that room, so I think we can get it down to one) and replace it with Eliot's basketball goal.  However, this room used to be just one, big mess, so, yeah, we've come a long way.  Sure would look a lot more orderly without the jogger there.  Hm...  I'll make it work.