Messes

MLO hates messes. When I tell most people that, they are amazed and tell me how lucky I am.

I then have to stipulate that she hates messes she didn't create on purpose or someone else created.

Leaving her toys in a messy pile - that is okay.

However, if she spills her drink than this is not okay. She tries to clean it up with her hand (making it worse) and you can give her a paper towel and she will try to clean it up (you do have to help as she hasn't learned the fine art of cleaning something up just yet).

If her box of raisins spills, she will pick them all up, even double checking around her.

So, in this respect I am lucky and appreciate that I can just tell her to "clean it up" or "pick it up" and she does.

Now, if someone else makes a mess - this is a disaster. She cries and requires a hug and love (after it is cleaned up) to calm her down.

For example, MLO and I had left some sidewalk chalk out side after playing with it. Not realizing it was going to rain that night. In the morning, I start collecting them all up and cleaning it up. My mistake was putting the box (which was wet on the bottom) down on a table.

When I picked up the box and there was water left on the table, I heard "MESS!!!" over and over from MLO. This included pointing, jumping around and tears.

I had to quickly clean it up and then hold her and let her calm down on my shoulder.

This development has made me very careful when putting things away or "cleaning up".

It is all for the best, but seems very funny for a 19-month-old.