Friday, September 25, 2009

Throwing Things on the Floor

There is a new activity taking place in our home on an almost constant basis. This activity started about the time Braden became mobile. When he started pulling up on things the activity heightened. As time goes by it keeps us busier and busier.

The new chore is picking up after the Tasmanian devil that is Braden. He can now reach the dining room table so the only surfaces out of his reach are the very high counter tops. Apparently every baby is interested in getting their paws on everything that doesn't belong to them. Braden is no different. The part that makes cleanup constant is the fact that he likes to throw everything on the floor.

Braden loves to go in the kitchen and get into the drawer with the potholders and throw them on the floor.

His favorite thing is probably getting into his dresser and tossing the bibs all over the floor. Sometimes he even carries them around the house with him.

He gets on the end table in the living room and throws coasters, sunglasses, and decorations on the floor.

He throws whatever happens to be on the coffee table on any particular day on the floor.

Yesterday he removed all 26 magnetic alphabet letters on the refrigerator and threw them on the floor.

Of course he strings toys out from his toy box in the living room all over the house.

He also takes the toys from his bedroom into the hallway or even to other rooms.

He goes in our bedroom and removes the door stoppers from the wall and carries them off.

He takes things out of his diaper bag and throws them on the floor.

Basically Braden feels that if everything were in the floor our world would be a better place.

I have served on roadside cleanup crews a few times in my life. I have done it both as charity and as punishment. While picking up after Braden is not as bad as sharing a day with the inmates, it certainly has some of the same feel as cleaning the highway.

Fatherhood Friday at Dad Blogs

12 comments:

Daddy Files said...

Been there brother. Been there.

It was so much easier when he couldn't reach up to the tabletops, but now my son not only grabs everything he can reach and tosses it, he CLIMBS on top of things to reach even more items.

Which is why there's a huge milk stain on our couch this morning, because he jumped up on the couch and reached up to the table where I had my drink.

Who knew parenting is really just an extended game of 52 Pick Up?!?

MileHighDad said...

Enjoy it while it lasts, these days will soon be gone forever. Then onto bigger greater plans for destruction!

Brandy@YDK said...

That's so funny. I guess he just wants it to be there if he needs it later.

Anonymous said...

By the sounds of reading my husbands post you would think that our house has a daily tornado go through it, which much of the time it looks like it. It sounds so much worse than it is though, actually it can be quite funny what we find on the floor sometimes.
Arica/Bradens mommy

Captain Dumbass said...

Why does everything have to go on the floor? It doesn't get any better.

WeaselMomma said...

This is a behavior that never ends. My teens still seemed entertained by leaving similar trails in their wake.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, the what is up must come down game. My son just started to reach things one shelf higher than before, so much fun!

Gabriel said...

Mine's not old enough yet, but I have it on good authority that it's a universal hobby for kids of a certain age. How about putting everything on the floor, then maybe he'll start picking it up and putting it where it belongs? Reverse psychology knows no bounds...

Unknown said...

Ha! My Jack Russell does the same thing.
-john

The Devoted Dad said...

Yes, just wait till your family gives you buckets and buckets of play food. My daughter dumps them out at her beginning of play, and them immediately moves onto something else. Almost like a ritual. Shes doesn't even play with the stuff half the time- just dumps all 1 million pieces of it. Good luck in breaking that one! -Jason

seashore subjects said...

heehee. Sounds like you and Arica have started the bend and stretch work-out portion of parenthood. A phase that goes on and on, but pays off in the health benefits.

Tom said...

This is where you start considering a snow shovel and a rolling cart as a means of easy daily clean-up.

Once this phase starts, you can say goodbye to clean floors until they're all out of the house.