This morning I started to load dirty clothes into the washer and almost immediately Bella was standing there in front of me, tugging clothes out of the hamper and shoveling them into the the open door. I stopped loading and started just sorting the clothes I wanted washed, dropping the things to be loaded into a pile at her feet.
After all the clothes had been shoved in, she helped me shut the door, then she tugged at the little drawer where the soap goes and, once I’d poured in the detergent, she shut the drawer and reached out to turn the knob and push the buttons to start the machine. Ok, I had to stop her from turning the knob, but I did let her push the start button, with an admonition that she’s only to do that when I’m present.
Bella pulls the wet clothes out of the washer. Note her new “shopping bag” that Dom gave her today, a freebie from his work, that she just couldn’t put down.
This evening when I remembered that I needed to unload and dry the clothes, I just set an empty basket in front of the washing machine, opened the door, and had Bella empty it for me. Then she helped me push the basket over to the dryer and she loaded in all the wet clothes for me while I fed Sophie her applesauce.
Bella unloading. Also, note Sophie in the kitchen looking on from the high chair.
When the clothes were loaded, Bella tried to start the dryer, turning the knob and pushing buttons at random. I had to stop her and reset everything. Still, I could get used to having a little laundry helper, especially once my belly starts to get so big that bending down to get into the machines is a pain.
Bella puts the wet clothes into the dryer.
Bella finally figures out she can put her shopping bag over her shoulder while she works.
I thought I was silly because I couldn’t separate myself from some old calendars from Laura Ashley, with beautiful pictures of quilts and fabrics – and thought I could reuse them as cards where I could copy poems for my children, or I could frame them – just as you did. I guess once something is beautiful, it’s always beautiful, no matter the use you make of it – or something like that!
Apropos of children’s books, I enjoy your thoughts about good books: since I’m from Italy, here I have no idea what to look for, when I want something for my children – at the library there are so many ugly and, frankly, stupid books for young children, that I really have to thank you for mentioning here and there good choices.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love love love that book. Lucky girls!