Lost In Thought

I have this plan you see to take my kid the the moveis tonight Nancy drew is playing at the doller theater and I thought it would be fun. But like all moms I wanted to surprize her so I think how can I get her out of the house without her asking "where are we going for 20 minutes straight"

So I bribed my child with "going to eat at McDonalds" If she cleaned her room that wasn't "that" dirty. I know full well if I took her to Micky D's she would eat 3 fries, some reassembled chicken parts and a pint of catsup. She also would have a great time playing in the air conditioned play ground, considering it's been 83 degrees F. in the house for the last 6 weeks and the air conditoner has been running full boar all that time... (I don't even want to know what my next month bill will be) I knew she could use some play time not under the blazing sun. I knew I wanted that room to become something other than a state of chaos , and i would get her out of the house under the pretense of going out for dinner.

So Like all good Mommies I let her get on with her chores while I read internet postings. And I periodicaly checked up on her.
First check up: She has made her bed and her dolls bed and removed all the sheets from the pull out couch we use for guests that she was having fun sleeping in lately. Now I told her in the beginning she didn't have to touch the pull out bed and when the floor was safe to walk on I would close it up. Sigh... and what you may ask is she doing when I walk in... she is sitting stareing at a book... not reading it mind you just looking at the cover ...
She is Lost In Thought...

Mom redirects "try putting all your books away" and risks life closing up bed, bare foot steps on leggo. Note to self "wear shoes"

Second check up: Floor is clean in middle due to the fact she moved her little ikea bed accross the floor. It has effectively hidden the pile of junk on floor but of course one cannot get in or out of room with out acting like a monkey and climbing on the furniture. The books from floor are gone Yippie! Daughter is sitting stareing at zoo map yet again...
She is Lost in Thought

Mom rearranges the furniture so the local fire marshell would be pleased and comments nicely on books being put away. Catches myself cleaning her room and runs away, thinking if i keep doing it *for her* she will let me do it all and I won't get to eat the rest of her fries tonight. Because you know full well I will order the salad secure in the knowlege she will only eat 3 fries.

Third check up:
Its amazing her desk is clean!!! notebooks, pens, pencils and cd's are all put away, I almost faint from shock. Of course the dog is oblivious and sleeping on her bed that is groaning from the accumulated weight of stuff she has moved off her desk and floor. My daughter is stareing at a blue shirt that says "princess" that she is holding up and is yet again....
Lost In Thought

While I point out the fact that although the dog can sleep in the tiny space left on the bed she cannot and it needs to be all put away properly. I grab a stray books and start helping again I go behind her door (pls note book shelf is behind the doorway to her room) I close door so I can put book away and discover the leaning tower of Pisa recreated with books topped by Asland himself. Opening up the bookshelf door my worst fears are confirmed. They are almost empty I'm confused do I have this right we had 10 or 11 books on floor to be put away and now the books that were in the bookshelf are now on the book shelf ready to topple??? sigh.... I redirect child who is still holding blue shirt to put *that* in the laundry (always a safe place to put clothing from floor due to dog. DOG = dog hair on everything that comes in contact with floor) and put these books back where thay came from. Yes I did pull the tower down to floor level so they would not fall on top of her.

Forth check up
Her floor is clean the bed still needs work but my Mommie radar is working I spy with my little eye a pile of clothing and stuffed animals in a corner! I then go and open the door to her closet thinking altho the dog like to sleep on her bed.. the dog prefers to sleep in the closet.. yep sure enough nice unruly pile of playmobile, socks, underware, purses and notebooks.
and some how all the dressup clothing from inside the box have magicly removed themselves to next to the box. While I am making these discoveries she has been staring at the digital clock saying "my radio station is now 200" .... Once again Lost In Thought...

To make things easier I pull everything out and put in center of semi clean floor pointing out the collective homes for the big 3, Clothes = hamper, toys = bins, dress-up = dress-up chest. As I leave I attempt to shake the stray buttons from my feet but to no availe they're firmly stuck to the bottom of my feet. note to self remember to put on shoes and to put a lid on daughter button collection.

Fifth Check up is about to happen we have 20 min till we no longer have time to eat and go to movies and I have come to the conclusion that all she has really been doing for the last 2 and half hours is moving armfulls of stuff from floor to bed and back again while in between stuff moving she is staring at various articles that are to be found in her bed room. as I'm putting on my shoes she comes running out "Mom I cleaned my room!" Yes I do find about 10 errent items like shoes books and toys in her hamper but she quickly sets that to right. And she looks at me as says "Can we go to McDonalds right now!?" And I say yes In just a second because now
"I'm Lost In Thought"...