In

E is an expert at taking things out. In fact, the best way to get him interested in something is to put it away. This compels little E to take the object back out as quickly as possible. Grinning from ear to ear, he'll race back and forth across the room as the Mav or myself try to put toys away at bedtime.

I mistakenly thought he was playing games with us when really he was training for his new skill of putting things "in". Not away exactly, but in. Small cups into larger cups. Train tracks into cups. Shapes into shape sorters. Toys into toy-boxes!

In accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (i.e. chaos is always increasing, also known as the first law of small children) more toys are taken out than put back in. Nevertheless, E has taken his first steps toward cleaning up: he stuffed as many small wooden blocks as he could fit into another toy. I found this when I was cleaning up the rest of the toys after E had gone to bed for the night. It may not seem like much to most people but to me it is a big step away from his babyhood toward his little boyhood; he is doing things of his own accord, without help, and without complete oversight. Also, maybe it means he'll be ready for chores soon. (I can dream, can't I?)