At 4:17 I called it.
"CABIN FEVER!"
It was boiling in my blood. The irritating, stuffed feeling of not having a breath of fresh air in three days had infiltrated my skull. The Chief was finger painting with pudding (Daddy bought a year supply of Costco chocolate pudding) all over the walls. I didn't care. I didn't care. I just wanted something else in my lungs other than the Caribbean Salsa candle and the constant blowing of dry heat out of the vents.
So I stepped outside into the atmosphere of gray sky colored by inversion. I saw my breath linger out of my mouth and into the freeze of late afternoon. The cold overcame the deep breath I was supposed to be taking, so I dashed back inside.
Stuffy house? Frigid temps? What choices are these? Especially when I've been so sick lately with some respiratory gunk and getting out of the house is just not an option. These days the bladder can't do coughing or sneezing without reaction. "Stay inside. It is best to stay inside." Warns everyone.
Cabin Fever, you come right on time every year, mid-February. You make me crazy, you. You make me pine for sunshine in a way August will never understand. You are like atmospheric constipation. Why try my soul like you do?
After The Chief was cleaned up, the walls washed and the highchair scrubbed I let the little fireball set ablaze another area of the house. This time it was the dumped out garbage in the den, where he (luckily) found an old tube of toothpaste. I let him suck on it for awhile. I didn't care. I didn't care. I just wanted him to be content.
I thought about making a salad. And that is as far as I got.
I tried to snuggle with The Chief and read books, but after the fifteenth "Please don't kick mommy in the tummy" which lead to the sixteenth, "DON'T KICK MOMMY IN THE TUMMY!" I gave up on that too. The child needed a pro-wrestling gig and I wasn't going to be the opponent.
Instead I prayed, "Please Heavenly Father, please let someone show up at our house to create a diversion around here. The Chief, he suffers--as do I--from the Cabin Fever. Amen."
At 7:02 a knock on the door.
It was my sister in law Lisa.
"You were on my mind tonight." She said as I let her in the door.
"Really? Where are your children?" I asked hopefully, looking past her out into the driveway.
"Oh I told them to stay out in the car."
"No! No! Let them in! Let them all in."
"But they have ice cream cones, all five of them."
"I don't care what they have. Get them and bring them in right now."
And in they came. Miles and Owen and Phoebe and Hugh and Margaret with ice cream cones and enough energy to supply Los Angeles for an evening.
I thought The Chief was going faint in the glory of it all.
There was wrestling and piggy backs and toys littered all over the house. And Margaret hugged The Chief and The Chief pinned her down to the ground without her crying at all. And Hugh was kind enough to let The Chief follow him around in shock and awe of his coolness. There were dog piles and books read and chasing and tears and laughing and drinks of water. At one point The Chief sprawled out on the living room floor, belly up, with all of his limbs extended--almost like he was doing a snow angel in the carpet. He was exhausted with joy.
You should've seen it.
Meanwhile Lisa and I had a great, albeit often-interrupted talk about important matters pertaining to the soul of a mother. I confessed that her inspiration to stop by was an answer to my prayers. She brought with her the cure for our disease. And before they left she had the entire crew pick up my whole house. Spotless. As if they were never there.
8:52 I put The Chief to bed.
And as we prayed together we thanked Heavenly Father for healing our type of illness.
Until next year Cabin Fever. Until next year . . .
c jane's Guide To Provo:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!
dear c jane today:
Holy Feather Ring!
My Community:
Where I ask you to pretend you are an Olympic Athlete . . .
50 Pieces of Opinion:
It has been quite chilly in Utah. I almost froze on the way to the gym.
you are so lucky to have family near by
What a blessing to have family, as an only child your blog always makes me want siblings all the more! Does you SIL do the same thing for others? I occasionally get cabin fever when it rains non-stop in England. I promise to provide tea and crumpets!
I love that Lisa so, so much.
Can Lisa make house calls in Seattle?
I have been going stir crazy with care-taking Mom lately, and I would love a Lisa to stop by and play dominos with her while sneak out to the gym :)
You are so blessed to have your family so close and to be so cose to your family. I will forever say this, your family is beautiful inside and out.
--Mari
I have it TOO!!! It's so funny because I posted about this topic on my blog, but I didn't call it cabin fever because I might have already posted at the beginning of winter that I had it (oh had I realized that it was just beginning!) and I didn't want to my audience to get lackadaisical about what I was trying to convey. But oh that cabin fever tries my soul. I have said your same prayer many a time.
cant help but notice every post (well the 2 or 3) after the baby naming one all mention Glory or in some form (glorious etc) are you Teasing us there court?
Maybe we will never know
I loved this post....
Here's five gold stars and my favorite pair of shoes---for being an amazing mother. How fun and patient you are. I adore your soul. I'm glad Lisa cured your fever cause, well, fevers are never good. Love you court.
I need a relative who lives in my same time zone. It's a 20 minute drive to the nearest ward-member's home. The chances of anyone stopping by unannounced are miniscule, even with prayers. But oh, the cabin fever, WE GOT IT! (in 800 square feet, with no yard)
Just a note to say that The Chief and my son have the same stripey jammies, and they are my favourite. There is just nothing cuter than a boy in stripy jammies!
Hahaha, I love the "Please don't kick mommy in the tummy... DON'T KICK MOMMY IN THE TUMMY!!!" Story of my life these days with my 18 month old child and my 7.5 month child inside... and the baby inside kicks back!
This was such a great post! I'm suffering from Cabin Fever BIG TIME.
-FringeGirl
oh my, we've taken to the indoor swimming pool, so desperate, but lately, 40 degree weather has kept us at the playground THANK GOODNESS! I think merely, the destruction of my home, often keeps me from having too many kids over. You were fortunate they cleaned up after themselves! That doesn't happen here! ha ha.
what a sweet post. looks like your cabin fever has been cured! :)
Oh, I felt just like this when I was 7-8 months pregnant with my last. My toddler needed serious attention, and I needed serious rest. Thank heaven for angels like Lisa! Good luck the next few weeks! : )
Wow! Answered prayers, good conversation, and a clean house too! What a blessing to have such a great family. :)
My favorite phrase ever:
Atmospheric Constipation
That is so fabulous I can say nothing more about it!
You are truly lucky to have family by you. We only have my sister, and until my son hit toddlerhood, some friends that would occassionally stop by. What is it about people that makes them jealous of the constant attention demanded by a small toddler? Why don't they get it? Right... because they don't have kids yet. And babies are so much easier than toddlers. :)
btw, couldn't see the Rings on Dear CJane...
Next year the Chief will have someone to keep him company, someone to torture and tease, and provide him with endless amounts of entertainment.
Your baby. ;D
What's worse than cabin fever? Being able to leave the house-but only if you're wearing snow boots. My feet are crying out for some sunshine and some peep toes!
atmospheric constipation = genius
The month of February is why I live in Arizona.
I love how Miss Margaret is sitting so lady-like with a book in her lap! Oh, and I can make out four sets of legs in that dog pile, but only three heads! I hope number four survived! Aren't cousins the best?!
You are so lucky to have family so close. We have cabin fever, but no cousins close to come and ease it. I am also ready for summer...oh summer please come NOW!
well its thoroughly freezing and utterly miserable over in england at the moment, i love winter, but its always this time of year (yesterday in fact) that i crave sun like never before, (those kids are adorable btw) your family has made me wish for piles of daughters and sons- so they can have as much fun as you all do!
I hear you, sister! I am in Texas...where the temperature USUALLY averages over 60 by this time of year...and here it is, hovering near freezing EVERY DAY. I informed Winter today that we? Well, it had been a nice fling but we were breaking up and he needed to be moving on...sooner than later. He has not heeded this warning as of yet! The audacity...
Another great read, CJane! Sorry for the Cabin Fever. Our sun is in 'full shine' so I know that spring is not far from you either. Lucky you to have a Sis in law 'in tune'!
I love that Lisa, too! Best to you, Topher on his opening night this week. February's *almost* over.
Amen to this Cjane. It's stuffy this time of year. No fun!
TOTALLY familiar with the fever...although winter has been way too kind to us up here this year. But I get it.
I completely get it.
Thank goodness for sisters who get it too.
Oh my goodness that was funny! When are you going to write a book?
Eek! Cjane! Where is your masthead?? I miss it. :(
I am just barely emerging, still a little cross-eyed, from the uncomfortably pregnant and cooped up with a wild two year old phase. I remember it being an extremely lonely and crazy making phase. (Is your husband also in school 40 hours a week and working 20 like mine was?) That was the worst.
My kids are 4.5 and 2 now and I've got to say, it is awesome to have them playing together. I no longer feel like I am my daughters EVERYTHING. She has her little brother to outlet her energy with. But man, those times were tough. Hang in there.
What an amazing answer to a prayer. I think people who aren't in that phase anymore forget what it was like. It's nice to have other adults to be around when your brain starts to turn to mush, and other kids to exhaust your children for you. I live in Utah county if you are in need of more friends!
Also, holy long comment!
Thank you for making me smile today.
Cabin Fever tends to appear after only a day of confinement in my house... My extremely energetic 6 year old can barely hold it in on good days... And the 8 year old and 3 year old aren't usually far behind... Thank goodness the baby is still for now! But at least they are old enough for epic light saber battles... (Which make me cringe, but lets face it: with 4 boys; there is NOTHING breakable left in my living room! Other than the TV...)
I was an only and always assumed I would just have an only. I loved being an only child...but reading your blog I become more and more convinced that Max needs a sibling, maybe two. As much as I want another boy I just know in my soul a little girl is waiting to come to me.
Probably the only blog on the sphere where you can say something like that and know no one will laugh.
honey, i'm giving you permission to name your daughter glory...it's a glorious name! :)
cabin fever SUCKS! i get it in the summer here in AZ. love your atmosphiric constipation... HILARIOUS!!!!!
a thought from a former mom and now grandmom: some toothpastes can be very dangerous to little ones.
please make the chief keep the top on if he is sucking on the tube. cabin fever is much better than a sick-on-toothpaste babe.
Come over to my place - it's summer.
xx
H
It has been a freezing winter!! We're all the way over in Richmond, VA where the climate is supposedly similar to Sacramento. No way this year. Snow, snow, and more snow. I was so happy for 2 days of 45+ degree weather. I feel your pain. Utah's inversions suck. This post doesn't, though. Hilarious.
"atmospheric constipation" is the best phrase I've heard in a long time.
Ahhhhh....family is everything! AND "atmospheric constipation"...ROFL!!!!!
The more the merrier is ALWAYS my motto. Especially when it involves you and El Chiefo.
Cleaning up toys when they left? What more could you ask for in a visitor?
Cabin fever comes and goes in only one day?? I wish I could say the same!! We have had it for what feels like weeks! Bad winter, go away! =) Glad for good sisters as a diversion! ( I have them too!)
Just realised that the lid is still on your nutella jar...Would you reeeealy be able to close the lid before the temptation to lick your finger kicks in?
Thanks for your writings, I do love the air of 'spice' around your blog these days!
Amelia
oh Jane. You really reached into my soul toady. "Atmospheric constipation" is a perfect diagnose of what my house has lately. Tonight before I lay my wee head down I will pray for five children with ice cream cones to show up at my door or something to that matter. Whatever cures it. Thanks
I absolutely love reading your blog, and completely understand the cabin fever thing. I have 3 boys that are in desperate need of a warm, sunny day. I need it even more!
Family is the best!
I wish you could come to Arizona and play, we have enough sunshine for all! p.s. This is my first time leaving a comment even though I've been following your blog since Nie Nie's accident. I wanted to say Thank You so much for your fun and uplifting posts... My mom just had a mastectomy because of breast cancer and is going through frustrating chemotherapy & she says that your blog is one of the brightest spots of her day. Thank you so much!! :)
I think you're a fantastic blogger and an all over great lady and I hate to even say this but I will and maybe even get some slack for it. I just think maybe you oughta start keeping to chief from smearing food, marker, make up or whatnot everywhere so that you can write a post. I just think he needs to learn that it's not okay to make a mess like that, and trust me I've had my own little 1-2 year olds... you can teach them. If he doesn't learn now, it could only get harder when he's not being stopped and then your'll have another child to take care of along with him. It's best to nip these things in the bud before it grows into him just doing whatever he wants, without rules and discipline. Personally, reading a post when I find out that the chief caused some damage for it to be written makes me stressed for you. And I've read several of them. It just sounds like he's out of control sometimes...maybe you're just exaggerating when you write it, but you can't blame the kid for it, the parent needs to take the initiative. It shouldn't be that he does whatever he pleases, you'll just clean the mess later...more work for you. Save yourself the cleaning and work on the behavior.
I feel the same way when my sister comes to visit. She has 6 kids and I have a tiny apartment but I just love it when they're here to fill it up with love and joy and noise and excitement. I totally get it.
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