Cabin Fever and Sanity Saving

The plague and crazy weather-conditions have forced us to be homebound this week. We've had none of the usual, sanity-saving distractions for eight entire days ... no playdates, no trips to Target, no library storytime, no walks to Starbucks, no Tuesday at Sahara's house, ...

So what does a 17-month old do for an entire week while stuck inside the house?

She gets a serious case of Cabin Fever, and she ...

• spends time on her new laptop; checking emails, updating her blog, BabyBrain ... in reality, she's just watching some silly monkey dance around, but the idea of her blogging is hilarious to me :)
  
• catches up on a little light reading - Eric Carle is fascinating!
  
• yells excitedly at the "big kids" playing in the snow outside her bedroom window.
  
• gets into all sorts of mischief and finds some pretty interesting places to "play." Just this morning, while I was trying to catch a few seconds of the local news, she threw open both cabinet doors and proceeded to climb in and empty the contents all over the floor.
  
  
  
  

  
  

Natalie has also grown obsessed with a video called "Elmo Saves Christmas," a DVD her cousins Caroline and Emily were so thoughtful to send her ... "when they were done with it." I have a feeling mom and dad had something to do with prompting that little "gift" because let me tell you it's on my last nerve! And like them, I am plotting a way to get it out of my house, too! Don't get me wrong, it's a cute little Sesame Street production with a delightful message about keeping the spirit of Christmas in your heart all year long. BUT enough is enough ... at this point, I am reciting lines and fast-forwarding through the creepy Christmas Bunny scene! Here's the second BUT ... but it has given me a few precious 10-15 minute chunks of sanity in the past eight days, and that dear friends, is why I must thank Elmo for not only saving Christmas but also saving my sanity!