Oh winter. Will you ever go away? I try to refrain from complaining about the cold, snow, rain, sleet, ice and general frigidness of life in Michigan. It isn’t like we all don’t know this is what it is like for Michigan winters. But enough is enough already.
It was so nice last week when we could all go outside and soak up the sunshine. The kids were completely self entertained, which meant I felt completely sane! There was no stopping people from tackling one another, no removing of the couch cushions to use as a boat, no ransacking the sock drawer to make confetti. They just ran around the yard picking up sticks, poking the ground, going down the slide and other pleasant engagements that made me smile and think “My kids are so wonderful.”
I do realize there is no law preventing us from going outside when it is cold. But since my kids believe they have to be within 4” of me at all times this would mean that I have to go outside with them. No thank you. First, I am not a person who likes to be uncomfortable (shocking I know!) I need an appropriate temperature for the activity. Second, it takes about a hundred years to get three kids in winter wear. Meaning, by the time we actually get out there we probably have 20 minutes before it is time to return indoors for snack/lunch/dinner or whatever other food engagement that mandates our schedule.
It’s pretty safe to say we are all suffering from a bit of cabin fever. You can tell that the kids are tired of everything that is at their disposal when they start to look for new things to entertain them.
Greyson saw a mouse run across the back deck and wanted to invite him into play.
Me “No. Absolutely no.”
Greyson: But whyyyy mommmy?? I’m tired of playing with Kinsley.
Me: Go jump on the bed. You may not invite the mouse in the house.
Greyson: Can we give the mouse a cookie?
It would seem that in addition to new play friends we also need new books. I am going to check the library to see if they have one to counter “If you give a mouse a cookie.” I’m thinking something like “If you give a mouse food they will take over the house and mommy will freak out.”
It’s not just Greyson. A month ago Kinsley was entertained for an entire morning by climbing in and out of the potato cabinet (so named because the only thing that is in there is potatoes. Very creative, I know.)
The potato cupboard used to be a great hang-out. Kinsley would take her calculator/cell phone in there to make a call and yack it up. When that was done, she’d go grab her bag and pretend that she was going to the store to buy some chocolate milk. How cute!
She has now moved a little to the right in the kitchen and is enthralled with the Ziploc bag/aluminum foil/saran wrap drawer. Here’s a new game for the TV Show “Minute to Win It”: unroll the plastic wrap and wind it through the entire house, including over and under the dog. You don’t get a whole minute. You get 15 seconds. I’ve seen it happen so I know it can be done.
That only leaves 4 hours, 29 minutes and 45 seconds of time between breakfast and nap time in which trouble can occur. There is still an entire drawer full of silverware that they can use to poke each other’s eyes out while trying to play “Fork Tag.”
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