Vacuum

Vacuuming the carpets seems to be the most exciting part of the day for us a lot of the time (I sort of feel like a lame mom when I type that).  It's exciting for me because the house feels decently clean, if only for a moment.  I'm not exactly sure what the kids love so much about it, but love it they do.  The moment I pull that sucker out (ha ha...sucker...) , the house fills with thrilled shrieks and the sound of four little happy feet happily thumping about. Chicken likes to chase the vacuum with his cute, choppy waddle-toddle; while Edee darts away in a combination of fright and delight.

Today during the pandemonium she got trapped at the end of the hallway with all the doors surrounding her shut.  As the vacuum and I approached her she yelled out in genuine terror, "NO, NO MOMMY NO!   DON'T VACUUM ME UP!!"  I had to chuckle, but I felt a little unsettled as I thought about it.  The fear she had probably came from me joking with her about the vacuum sucking up her toys if she didn't pick them up off the floor (okay, more like trying to creatively manipulate her into picking up her toys, if we're being honest).  It's pretty amazing what impressions an off-hand comment will make on a little person, because now she thinks the vacuum can suck her up.  I do find humor in it, but it makes me want to be more conscious about what I say.

Especially when later, while playing around quietly with her favorite toy lions,  I heard her saying over and over again: "Oh-lee cap! Oh-lee cap!! (mutter mutter mutter)  Oh-lee cap!"  It took me a few minutes of mulling around in my mind what she was saying to realize that I must say "Holy Crap" a lot more than I thought.  I know it could be worse...but still not exactly proud of that!