Vacuuming

Of all the chores I do, vacuuming is the one I can handle best. #1 DogSon and #1 Son run quickly to higher ground when I come out with the vacuum. Smart children. Now if they would just teach that to #2 Son, my life would be so much easier. I am wondering if #2 Son will survive. Every time I turn around I have to stop and go get the power cord out of his hands. I have moved him, I have moved the power cord, I have tried to scare him with the vacuum, I have given him food, I have given him toys and nothing works. He can move at lightening speed when it comes to getting to that cord.

Try vacuuming when you have to turn around every minute to verify this little cord monster is not hanging around. He can travel the length of the living room, hoof it around the couch, over the doggie bed, and navigate by the stroller to get to that cord in a matter of seconds. If there was a baby crawling contest, I would just put him at the start and a vacuum power cord at the end. We'd win.

So vacuuming is not as easy as it once was -- this certainly makes it more entertaining. Who will win the power cord contest? Mom? #2 Son? I can guarantee that I will win the contest but it will take all my creative skills to keep ahead of #2 Son.

A side note: two years ago I went through 4 vacuums. One of those vacuums belonged to a friend, 2 were rated number one by Consumer Reports. It seems if you live on a dirt road and have 2 kids, a dog, a husband and yourself running in and out all the time - you are going to destroy vacuums. Yes I changed filters, yes I changed bags. Though I do it more frequently now, 4 times what they recommend for the filters, and it seems this one has lasted longer. Now the question is: who will last longer? #2 Son or the vacuum cleaner?