The stand off.

I have commented before about how diametrically opposite the boblings are.  Robby is like me, he wants things neat and orderly.  Actually, he is very much like Bob in that he wants things put away but he still has the uncontrollable need to acquire crap.  Of course, to them it is not crap but I assure you, it is indeed crap.

Now Drake is an interesting combination of his parents.  He inherited my social skills and my empathy (Robby took all of Bob's apathy).  However, he latched on to the "I must acquire crap" gene from Robby and Bob.  Although, in this we are all agreed (except Drake) that he acquires garbage.  Literally.  The child will dumpster dive in our trash and recycling and scurry away with his treasures.

Two nights ago Drake discovered a large empty box which Bob then gave to him.  I sat at my table muttering something about "Great...feed the habit..." as my eye began to twitch.  Drake's room will get so bad that I find myself avoiding it, even looking in, and getting through bedtime tuck in as fast as I can with blinders on.  So I started a tradition with Drake.  When his collection gets to the point where I want to kick puppies, then I will allow him to keep his latest and greatest treasure in exchange for Mommy going in and cleaning his room MY way.  This is always accomplished while he is in school or out of the house otherwise every straw or empty toilet paper tube becomes "but that is my FAVORITE!!  It is SPECIAL to me".

Today I took into Drake's room MY way.  He gets to keep the large box which he labeled toy box and I got to throw away kleenex he had pinned to his wall, lollipop sticks that he hid in is sock drawer and the nearly empty soda can he made into a rocket...upside down.  I went a little over board so I am now off to Toys'R'Us to buy a Nerf basketball set...to replace the broken net he got from school ("can you believe it was free?!") that he had pinned to his bed, the wall and his dresser which wasn't able to stay up with the weight of his pillow pet.