Going Overboard

Last month, my sister pinned a chore chart that I fell in love with.  I repinned it, printed it off, and started following it.  As the days passed, I would make notes, cross out cleaning chores for items I didn't own, and added in a few extra deep cleaning items.  I then took the time to rework the chart with some digi-scrapping tools, and presto!  My very own cleaning chart.  I was definitely a neat freak as a kid, so the idea that I've latched onto a cleaning chart is funny to me.  But that chart is working.  As every mommy, I find I never have much time and that my house always seemed to be in shambles with dust bunnies and grime collecting here, there and everywhere.  The twins have been mobile since mid-January and cleaning has become a new obsession.  I vacuum almost every day.  It's amazing what the vacuum finds today but not yesterday in the same spot under the couch.  The twins are obsessed with the vacuum too.  When we first came home, I used the vacuum on the occasion that two babies were melting down at the same time.  The white noise soothed their worries and I found I was vacuuming every day, sometimes 2-3 times a day.  My carpets have never looked better.  Once the babies outgrew their bouncers and were rolling and sitting on the floor, I'd vacuum around them and they'd watch me intently.  After Laith figured out crawling, he'd scuttlebug over to the vacuum and then start crying in horror.  His bottom lip would quiver and he'd have a terrified look.  I was surprised as they loved when I came close before crawling.  Laith has gotten over that initial shock, and now follows me around holding the cord and bouncing it up and down.  Vivienne has never really been worried about the vacuum, but she likes to sit near the plug, grab the cord and then chew on it.  "Danger Will Robinson! Danger!" I cry, and run over and pat her little hands trying to convince her it's no fun holding the cord.
Now that cleaning, along with deep cleaning, has been happening for a month, the shambles feeling is slowly going away.  Then on Tuesday, we all got sick.  Well, Bryan got sick last week and lovingly shared it with the rest of us.  *Sigh*  Laith had a fever all Monday night into Tuesday morning, so I took him in to find out he has his first ear infection.  Hooray!  I've been watching Vivienne like a hawk, but so far, she's just got the cold, no ear infection.  At least, not the tell-tale signs of one.  Last night, I felt like Annie (Goldie Hawn) in Overboard.  The scene where the kids are sick with poison oak, and Dean (Kurt Russell) comes home from work just to turn around and go out with the boys.  Oh Annie, if you only knew he was working job #2.  Poor Annie gets in a huff and begs him to stay, but off he goes.  Later when Dean comes home, you get a bird's eye view of the house.  Everything's clean, in its place.  The sink is empty of dishes and the fridge full of eggs and beer.  And where's Annie?  On the couch, hiding under the blankets because she has poison oak too.  Before the twins, I'd smile at this whole scene, finding it sweet how hard she's worked and how Dean finally appreciates her.  Now I see it with new eyes.  I feel for her, as my house is clean and in order too, the fridge is stocked, the dishwashers going, babies asleep and me in bed sick.  When Bryan comes in, I want to look at him with big eyes, and say "Tell me something from my past.  Something NOT horrible, please Dean?!"  Then I giggle thinking what silly story will Bryan tell me to rival Burger Boy Employee of the Month.