March 6, 2007 | Mama Smith

when fresh air is a wistful memory...

...and you’ve been stuck indoors for two days, with no hope of escape until the arctic temperatures and bitter winds leave us alone…what is one left to do?!

Well, from the perspective of Levi:

1. lay on belly to get gas patted out…

2. cuddle with mom on the couch…

3. try to convince big brother to share one of his hoards of pacifiers he’s toting around…

4. sleep…

5. and of course, work on looking as cute as possible…

From Brighton’s perspective:

1. make as much noise as feasibly possible for one toddler…

2. destroy house…

3. be a good big brother, helping pat out little bro’s gas…

4. find multiple pacifiers to carry around and loose in various mysterious spots around house…

5. and also work on looking as cute as possible to make sure little bro doesn’t show him up…

From Mom’s perspective:

1. Survive.

Despite the wretched cold forcing us to stay put inside, we’ve actually had fun the past two days. Other ways B & I passed time today included…

• bowling with plastic cups and rubber balls down the hallway

• having shouting/echo matches down the hallway…Levi is one hearty sleeper, I tell you

• more chasing each other around the table and fake “falling down” to Brighton’s absolute delight. So much so that we did this over and over and over for well over 30 minutes.

• watching puppy videos on YouTube

• Mom playing leapfrog over Brighton. Big mistake, I was forced to do this ALL DAY LONG after I started it. As well as play horsey.

• making paper “trash balls” to find and then throw away…B’s new fetish – finding trash around the house to toss. He is so my son. He also actual likes picking up his toys?!

• “helping” Mom wash dishes…aka: pouring dirty water on kitchen floor, down the front of clothes, and all over the clean dishes

• seeing who can slide the furthest on the hardwood floors from our dining room to den

The things you come up with when depleted of natural, fresh air. I suppose the more desperate you are, the more fun you end up having. B at least wore himself out with all the running, yelling and jumping which was my secret goal. He went to bed a cheerful, happy little camper.

Matthew’s off to a beer tasting with friends and I’m off to watch the latest 24. So we’ll both be heading to bed as happy little campers as well.