This is what three children will do to your living room (there is even more, on the couch and in stacks behind me as I take this photo). We also had fun visitors today in our friends John and James (and their mom Rebekah), but sadly, they did none of this. My boys manage it all on their own.
For the longest time, I thought a lot of Sawyer's OCD issues were inherited (or learned) from his mother. I like order in my life too, as most people who know me well will tell you. Slowly, with one big puppy and three wild little boys, I've learned to let it go a little bit. I still pick up after the kids while they're sleeping, because I can't stand to see the mess. Let's be honest, I can't relax until it's cleaned back up. That's just me. And as we've learned, that's also just Sawyer (perhaps for different reasons, but that's just him, too). He's Mommy's helper when it's time to clean up, as long as he's ready to clean up.I also refuse to allow toys in the kitchen (we'll ignore the new magnetic letters on the freezer, as they make Sawyer really, really happy). I cannot cook while walking over toys. I just can't do it.
So those are my issues. And it will only get worse. We've just ended the one birthday that leads to Christmas and then two more birthdays (all within four short months). Toys from one end of the living room to the other. Just looking at it drives me insane. Walking over it all day long is like walking on broken glass (literally, because I'm usually barefoot). But I manage, at least until they're sleeping. It's all put away now, thank goodness. But still. How do three little boys manage to need so many toys in so many different places?
And do you want to know the scary part? That there is twice as many toys in the pantry (out of their reach), that we rotate around every few weeks. Because THAT much stuff, really would drive me insane.