Cleaning Up America, One Trash Bag At A Time

Ian and I have been extensively cleaning and organizing the Max/Speck room, with help from my parents. Max is very interested in this process, and wants to be a part of each and every phase of the operation. In an effort to divert his attention away from dismantling freshly organized piles of stuff, Ian taught him to throw garbage away in a garbage bag. This was a huge success -- in a way. Max loved being part of the action, and he loved putting things into the garbage bag, and he loved the applause he received when he threw anything away. In fact, his love ran so deep that when he ran out of trash, he began throwing other stuff in the bag. Stuff we would actually like to keep, like puzzle pieces, new clothes, the cats, etc. When he had tossed every possible item in the bag, he took it all out, the trash included, and then began throwing it all in again. You have to admire his enthusiasm, even if his results are spotty.