Big Helper

In the last few days, Calder has really started to grasp the concept of cleaning up and has taken to this concept full force.  When it is time to clean up, he repeats "clean-up, clean-up, clean-up" over and over until the job is done.  He helps clean up his trucks before we move onto his blocks.  He helps me move laundry from the washer to the dryer.  He helps empty the dishwasher, announcing that every object is "heavy".  

And today, he decided to help me clean up supper.  

At our house we only cook 3, maybe 4 times a week.  Sometimes even less, depending how long we can make our leftovers last.  Today, Calder and I were home by ourselves for supper.  Hugh had a meeting and Luke is in Manitoba, so with a fridge full of leftovers, it was a more than perfect reason not to cook.

I pulled everything out of the fridge we had...pasta, ham, scalloped potatoes, etc. and dished out our plates so we could sit down to eat.  Calder declared he was "done" well before I was ready to be, so I grabbed a cloth and helped him out of his chair.  

Just as I was sitting back down to finish, Hugh called to see how our days went.  We talked for approximately 1 minute.  During the first 15 seconds, Calder started emptying utensils out of a drawer.  In the next 15 seconds, he tried to climb on my lap and in my best, fake, patient voice, I stated, "you need to stay down while Mommy is eating".  For the next 30 seconds, barely aware of Calder 2 feet to my left, Hugh and I discussed our days.  When I hung up the phone, I glanced over at Calder.  Cleo, our dog, was right by his side and Calder was holding an empty Glad container with its lid.  I quickly glanced over to the cupboard where we keep them thinking he got into it.  

The cupboard was closed.  

I glanced back at Calder and then quickly up to where the leftovers were sitting on the counter.  The pasta container was missing, as was all of the pasta.  I asked Calder what happened to it and he proudly stated, with a smile from ear to ear, "CLEO".