Monday, March 30, 2009

My artist and my engineer

For quite some time I have noticed that Audrey has certain traits that remind me of my Mom. My Mom is quite artistic and creative, and the joke in my parents' house is that my Mom is really good at making a mess, and my Dad is really good at cleaning it up. He is a very neat and orderly type of person (not that my mom isn't, but when she gets busy being creative, a mess usually ensues). Well ... Audrey is also really creative and artsy, and she is certainly good at making messes. In fact the other day she was painting at the kitchen table and managed to get paint on her face, hair, smock, table ... oh yeah, also on the paper too! I took a look at her and said "Oh, Audrey, just look at you! Paint is everywhere!" To which she replied (with a kind of "duh!" look on her face) - "Well Mom ... I am a messy artist!" Apparently in her mind artists are supposed to be messy. Anyhow, she is the one that I am always pestering to clean up after herself. This is what her room usually looks like during the day:

...unmade bed, toys strewn around, art/craft supplies all over. (This is probably how Carter got into the markers the other week ... he sneaks in whenever he gets the chance!)


Well, the other day we noticed that perhaps Carter takes after my Dad. This is what we found him doing:
Lining up his cars in neat little rows, back to back...

... and side to side.

For some reason this orderly gene seems to run on the male side of my family ... my Dad, my brother, my uncles, my cousin ... all super neat and orderly. The women? Well I used to be semi-neat and orderly. Then I had kids. At least that's what I'm going to use as my excuse.

Anyhow, maybe Carter will be more of the engineering type? We'll see. For now, we just think it's funny to see him taking after his Pop-pop. Pop-pop will be so proud. :)

3 comments:

nateandkatesmom said...

I like things neat, but I am real good at making messes, especially when I cook. And yes, Norm usually cleans up after dinner. Nathan used to do that with his cars. And his animals and dinosaurs. He would set things up a certain way and expect them to be left alone like that the rest of the day. I'm not sure that he turned out to be orderly, but it would be nice, for your sake, if Carter is, since Audrey is the opposite.

Chris Ann Schultz said...

Chantel can clean up her own room, without much help. She is pretty good with those life skills. Right now she is still singing her church musical songs.
She is very logical and organized like Both Ralph and I. We are both 1st borns. Great to have one just like both of us!

ErinOrtlund said...

The more I learn about Audrey, the more I think she and Kate would be peas in a pod. :)