The Helper

When I was in middle school my best friend Katie's mom, Jo, owned a really cool shop called Pottery Plus. To this day I wear earrings that I got there (or at some point stole off Katie's dresser) and most mornings have coffee out of a mug from that shop.
I remember sitting on Katie's kitchen counter eating Twizzlers and drinking tea laughing hysterically as Jo and Katie told story after story about The Helpers at the shop.
The Helpers were Katie's twin boy cousins, who were probably as old as Addie is now. I never fully understood why Jo called them The Helpers, but I think I am beginning to catch on.

I am learning that once babies become mobile very little else gets done. Addison is on the move and therefore:

• There are dishes in my sink from this morning.


• I've been doing our laundry for almost three days.


• I did get showered today...but I'd be lying if I told you I was able to every day.


• My bed is still unmade.


• The folded laundry is sitting in piles.


• The floors are d-i-r-t-y.

I am not claiming that I was ever the Queen of Clean, but I was never an outright slob. Okay, maybe I was a slob in middle school. (At least by claiming middle school slovenliness I can justify the bowl of sugar Aunt Ruthie found under my bed in sixth grade, but I digress.)


The point is, I can not seem to see one single project through to the very end these days.

On the rare occasions that the bed is made and the laundry is done and dishes aren't in the sink and the floors are vacuumed, I sit down and wonder what "How did I get this all done?".

Sadly the answer is usually something like...

• I didn't take time to brush my teeth.


• I haven't gone to the bathroom since last night.


• All of my meals have consisted of coffee, splenda and half & half.

But once in a while the answer is:

• Addison took both of her naps.

Today was not a nap day. Today Addison was being my little helper.