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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Lost & Found


I have found that the one major pitfall of finally living in a house big enough for all of us is that there is a lot more space for things to get lost! (More beds for small little princess crowns to fall under, more cabinets for things to slip behind, and-quite frankly- more junk accumulated from the sheer size of our family.) It's a constant challenge.

But as summer presses on, I've noticed an interesting dichotomy between my big two kids and the younger four. Allow me to illustrate through recent examples:

Taylor: "Mom! I can't find my glasses! Where did you put them?"
Me: "Well, let's see. Hmm... the last time I wore your glasses was... Oh, yeah. Never."
Taylor: "Seriously, Mom. I need to find them, and you're the only one that ever puts stuff away!" (she actually said that.)
Me: "Well, that's interesting! But I really didn't touch them. So let's think through some alternate explanations: Maybe you left them on the entry table and they fell behind the plant? Maybe you put them by your lamp and you just can't see them? Maybe you left them in the car after piano lessons? Maybe you-"
Taylor: "Okay, Mom, I get it. You don't know where my glasses are." (Sigh) "I'll go look for them, since I have to do everything!"

?????????????

As we're leaving the swimming pool Carter approaches me:

Carter: "Hey, Mom! Um, you have my yellow Notre Dame t-shirt, right?"
Me: "You mean the one that you wore over here and then peeled off as soon as we got here?"
Carter: "Yep. That's the one!"
Me: "Hmm... well let's see... I have approximately eight wet water shoes, four soggy water vests, 5 sopping wet swim shirts, 7 soaking towels, 8 water noodles, and 4 tired toddlers. Nope! It would seem that I have everything BUT your shirt."
Carter: "Seriously? You don't have my shirt?"
Me: "Carter, you are thirteen years old! Why would you expect me to keep track of your shirt?"
Carter: (sigh.) "Okay, I see how it is. I'll go find it."

??????????????

So here's the dichotomy: the little four NEVER come to me, asking where stuff is. This is, quite obviously, because they are the ones who lose the stuff. Therefore, ironically enough, I find myself approaching three-year-olds in the quest for finding lost items.

Me: "Okay, guys! Mommy can't find her cell phone. Does anybody know where it is?"
Sydney: "Oh, I will save your day, Mommy! I know where your cella-phone is!"
Me: "Great! Where is it?"
Sydney: "It's in my purse. I was keepin' it safe for you." (She dug through 3 toy bins before finding the right "purse" underneath an avalanche of toys.)


Me: "Okay, guys! Mommy can't find her sunglasses! Does anybody know where my sunglasses are?"
Tanner: "Me! I know right where to find them."
Me: "Okaaaaay..." (as he pulls me into the backyard and behind the sandbox near the fence.)
Tanner: "See! They're right there on the fence!"
Me: "Okaaaaay... why are my sunglasses on the fence?"
Tanner: "Cuz we was tryin' to put them on a lizard. The sun is very bright today and the poor lizard was gettin' squinty eyes."
Me: "Um... well, I guess that was very nice of you? Next time, ask, okay?"
Tanner: "Okay! Next time I will ask... unless it's a lizard emergency!"


Well, all lizard emergencies aside, you can see how there is no way I can find anything by myself once the little ones have decided to put that item to good use. I am completely at their mercy. And I'm stumped as to why my big kids seem to think that I should be responsible for every item they use, and know where their stuff is at all times. Hmmmm... this should make for a very long summer of seeking and finding. (In the oddest of places, of course.)

7 comments:

Julie K said...

This is hilarious! Stuff like that happens over here, but not nearly as funny. And squinty lizzards? Can lizzards even squint?
Sid is constantly asking me where his wallet is. He loses that thing like once a week. He recently found his wallet in an open field between our house and the Rec center. He had dropped it there the week before! Yet he is always asking me if I know where it is.

Judy Ryan said...

I'm sure you've seen this, but just in case you need more ammunition:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lfIieEVQDpY

Unknown said...

I can relate on a smaller scale, of course. I couldn't find my cell phone one day and Kennedy asked, "whatcha looking for mommy?
"My cellphone." She went to her room and pulled it out of her little jewelry box.
It's amazing that they remember right where things are though!

Anonymous said...

Hi aunt Kelly its your favorite Ross boy under the age of 30
What can I say your family is hilarious.
When you say your going to blog, you blog.
Earlier this morning I thought to myself hey I wonder if Sister Bastion's blog has anything new.
I look and there are fifty thousand new entries, well not really but you get my drift.
I love your blog so please continue

Daniel

Julie K said...

So I was watching "our show" tonight and that crazy Mary (Adam was kind referring to her as a "pretty disco ball") was on in all her sparkly glory. Josie walks in and says "Wow! That dress is SOOOOOO beautiful!". Never can tell with that little baggage.
I love Joshua and Katie, and I think Will and Jessica are underrated. Twitch and Kherington are overrated. I still like the Hawaii guy, although he has a really kooky (let me tell you how I pick my nose) personality. Comfort and Chris need to pack. They are lame!

Brittany said...

sydney and tanner are probably stumped why you expect them to be responsible to keep track of every item you use. hahaha. I also feel somewhat frustrated by my soon to be 28 yr. old husband who can't seem to keep track of anything in our cozy 700 sq. ft. apartment! I am scared for the future. He lovingly refers to me as "google britt".

rachel said...

I love it that they call it a "cella phone." And that they were trying to help the lizard. Poor squinty lizard.

BTW, Mark had a phone interview today with a place in Savannah! Only 2+ hours to Jacksonville! The salary would have to be pretty good to get us to move, but it's a start!

Love you!