OCD

I like order. I like things to have a home and be in that home when not otherwise in use. I like routine and I get very uncomfortable when my routine isn't happening. I like things to be done in the "correct" order and way for optimal effect.

For example, when cleaning the house - you start by straightening up everything and getting all the clutter put away, cleaning the dishes and getting all the laundry downstairs, sorted and a load into the washer. Then you clean the bathroom, starting with the toilet, then the tub, then the mirror and finally the sink counter. Then you sweep and steam mop the floor. Then you move to the kitchen and sweep and steam mop that floor. Then you sweep and steam mop the foyer floor. The reason for this is so that you can completely finish with the steam mop and get it put away. Then you move all the chairs and recycling containers to the newly cleaned kitchen floor, wiping everything down as you go, to clear the carpet for vacuuming. Then you dust everything in each room and get any items off the floor so you can vacuum (like trash cans, the diaper pail, clothes baskets, etc.). Now you are ready to vacuum (ending with the stairs so that the vacuum is already to be put away when you finish) and put everything back where it belongs. Lastly take out the trash and you are finished!

If you were to come into my house and vacuum before the bathroom has been cleaned, I would have to vacuum again once you left and I was able to do it "right." If you were to do everything in the correct order, but not have the dishes and the kitchen counters cleaned first, it is would drive me crazy (because in cleaning the kitchen, it is likely that crumbs will drop onto the floor and if you have already cleaned the floor...) I know that my little OCD can make it hard to live with me.

Smug-Hub is a very laid back person. Things will get done in their own time and there really isn't anything that can't wait a bit. His "in a minute" means 30-45 minutes at least and he takes longer than I do to do everything.

This difference in us has always been kind of a good thing. I have always said that I get him to work on time and he keeps me from getting ulcers and when it was just us two, it wasn't much of an issue. However, since Smug-Baby came along, our differences in this area have become more pronounced. When the baby is crying and he says "in a minute" I know that he will be longer than a minute and I can't let her cry, so I grab her, which in turn makes him feel like I don't think he is capable of comforting her.

Also, babies play with stuff, get into stuff and seem to love pulling out something that you just put away. So, I am not able to keep things in their homes most of the time. The baby toys don't really bother me, but everything else does to a larger extent. If the dishes are dirty in the sink, I am upset about it. If the baby monitor isn't in use and is still sitting on the table, I get upset. Everything takes longer when you have a baby, so to me, this means that we have to be even more efficient, even more diligent when it comes to keeping up on the "to do's"! Smug-Hub feels like this means we should be even more relaxed - why put something away when you are just going to have to pull it out again tomorrow?!?!?

Anyway, I guess it’s all a work in progress and we will have to find a way to balance each other once again. After all, I may have a little OCD, but I'm not totally crazy, like needing to have all the spoons in the dishwasher all facing the same way :)