Momma, I help you?

Joey has become my own little personal assistant. No matter what I am doing, he is always right under foot, looking up at me with his big brown eyes pleading, "mommy, I help you?" He says this with such a sense of urgency and more then a little hint of begging, it is simply unacceptable for me to reply "no sweetheart, I've got dinner under control, why don't you go play." This response sends the Joe Bug into a panic as he pleas again "No Mommy. I HEEEELLLPP you. PEEEEEAAASS?" I have discovered the past several days that Joe has a wide variety of hidden talents. He is an excellent laundry sorter....or at least he enjoys taking laundry in and out of the basket and shuffling piles in the laundry room. He can scrub the toilet....without completely soaking the bath mats. He can set the table....or at least get all the plates and silverware ON the table. Upon coming home from the grocery store he can wash grapes and separate them from the stem so they make for easier snacking later. He is really, really good at this task! He can make a humungous mess in my kitchen as he valliantly attempts to wash dishes. He is quite the helper. The trouble is that Joe often creates a bigger mess then that which he is attempting to help me clean up, but he is just so darn cute in his efforts and I appreciate his desire to help so much. Here's hoping that desire hangs in there for many years to come!

In addition to being a big helper, Joey is also fiercly independent. "I do it myself" is another phrase we hear with great frequency lately. to this point, even bathtime has become a battle for autonomy as he insists on showering "by myself momma." I am quite certain that Joe is among a small group of 2-year-olds who actually choose to take showers over baths. As you can see from the below pictures, our boy LOVES playing in the"rain."