Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Agent of Chaos

My favorite drawing by Donovan so far. Pure Abstract Expressionism.
It was 1:45 pm, fifteen minutes past Donovan's nap time and he was just climbing into the crib (he can't yet climb out though -- a little vestige of containment for which I am grateful). He started jumping up and down, refusing to lay down on his pillow. I then attempted a totally ineffective persuasion:

"Here, lay down on your pillow; I just washed it today and it's all nice and clean."

As if he cares about clean laundry! He's 2 years, 7 months old and he is the perfect mess machine. I couldn't do it better if I tried. As witness to his age and development, I marvel how he has absolutely no sense of order and it makes me wonder how as a species, humans ever became civilized. Imagine if the world were run by 2.5 year olds! It would be a utter chaos.    

Today I got tired of his new Thomas Trackmaster and Wooden Railway sets in the middle of the living room rug, so took them apart and stacked them all neatly in the big cardboard box I designated to store these trains. He watched me from the couch. When I was finished, he came over and picked up the box and turned it upside down. I sputtered and rushed to grab the box and stop the madness before all my neatening was for naught. Oh the hamster wheel of it all. Clean, mess, repeat.