On Snot, and Expired Beans

I think Brady may have a cold, but I'm not sure-- and that's a very good thing (the not being sure part, not the possible cold itself).

Everything seems normal, save for the constant fountain of snot pouring out of his head. He's the same old happy, playful Brady... with the addition of a snot faucet. This is especially wonderful when he sneezes, sending his pacifier shooting out of his mouth and a shower of boogers all over whoever is fortunate enough to be closest to him. Not that I'm complaining-- I know that it could be a lot, lot worse, and I am in no way challenging the universe to show me just how much worse a baby with a cold could be. Really. I'm not. Promise. __________________________________________________________________________________________

In other, non snot-related news (unless of course, you prefer more discussion of mucus)... I made a very strange discovery today. I miss cleaning. Isn't that weird? It's not so much the every day stuff like vacuuming and doing dishes that I miss (well, I still do that stuff, so how could I miss it?). It's having the time to do the really satisfying stuff like cleaning out closets and sorting through drawers and getting rid of excess that makes you feel accomplished. The stuff that just never seems to happen now that there is a baby to feed/change/play with/stop from removing the cat's tail.

Thanks to Brady being willing to play by himself for a good chunk of time this morning (see? how sick could he really be?), I was able to get some good sorting and emptying accomplished. It's all stuff I've been meaning to do, but my mom is coming to visit later this week and that's lit a fire under me. I detailed the bathroom and the microwave, got all the too-small stuff out of Brady's dresser, and cleaned out the pantry.

I decided that it had officially been too long since I last cleaned out the pantry when I found a can of beans that expired in 2005. 2005! Given the shelf life of canned beans, I'm guessing that can had moved with us at least twice. It seemed almost sad to get rid of it-- apparently, that can of beans (and, if I'm honest, several of its tomato paste and french-cut green bean friends) has been through a lot with us. But off to the recycling bin it went... and it felt good to see all that space in my pantry again.

There's something so freeing about getting rid of stuff. Left to my own devices I have some pack-rat tendencies, and I credit Paul for teaching me the deep inner peace that comes from throwing stuff away when you don't have a purpose for it anymore (how novel!). It was actually a pretty significant breakthrough for me at the time, and I think I've really embraced it. My dad has gone so far as to call me minimalist, which I think is an overstatement but somehow flattering all the same.

Anyway, getting rid of expired beans and tiny baby shorts turned out to be a very zen way to spend a Monday morning. Maybe I'll do it again in 2 or 3 years. Heh.

Comments

[Andrea]

My 10 month also has a cold and he loves it when I come within 10 feet of him with a Kleenex. His hands go to his face and of course the snot ends up everywhere. This morning he sneezed three times in the car. I was dreading seeing how much snot was dripping down his face.

[Jill]

So what is Paul's secret for throwing stuff out. I need to know these things because I have a house full of stuff that I don't know what to do with. Maybe Paul should go in the business! jk