Episode 31- Baby kiting

Many days I am faced with a simple choice: To blog or to nap? Lately, sleep has been winning that battle more often than not. Sorry. Also, I wish there was another word for 'blog' because when people talk about me 'blogging' makes me feel like a euro kid at a coffee shop with a stupid hat and tight jeans. I guess I could go with 'Internet journal' instead. Nope. Still dumb. Anyway, that is not the point of this post.

Last week the baby and I were faced for the first time with what has been my biggest fear since taking this job. Bad weather. Living in New England for all of my almost 26 years I can say with confidence that there is nothing in life that ruins my day more than winter. Usually from about mid-November to the beginning of May I am completely miserable. Depressed, cold, tired- just miserable.

I despise winter. I hate it. Snow sucks. It is cold and wet and it makes everything more difficult. You can't drive, and if you can you risk getting run in to by the other morons on the road. You have to move your car for snow emergencies, spend a stupid amount of money to heat the apartment, wear sweaters, scrape ice and did I mention that it is cold? I am not even sure why I still live here. I think it is because it is a hell of a lot easier- and cheaper- than uprooting and moving elsewhere.

Anyway, toward the end of last week the baby woke me up at the usual 6:15 and I looked outside to see driving, pouring rain. I took a peek out on to the porch to see what the temperature was like and sure enough, it was freezing, too.

Bad weather with the baby scares me because so much of our day is spent going back and forth from places, either in the car or in the stroller. Winter means less driving, no walks, no parks and lower motivation to take trips to places like the animal shelter. Winter means we are stuck inside.

Now, in my child free days, being stuck inside would just give me an excuse to get drunk during the day and probably allow me to watch a lot of bad TV. With a baby it means that I have to somehow keep her entertained and keep myself from going stir crazy. This is a frightening prospect and I am woefully under prepared for it.

Luckily for us, the weather cleared up the other day but it got me thinking a lot, too, because I know Old Man Winter has already mapped out his route and programmed his GPS for Salem, MA. It won't be long at all. Thus, I am soliciting ideas for what to do with a baby all day when you can't leave the house. Some have suggested fantastic ideas already, like the baby kite above, submitted by my friend Joe. Joe will have kids soon, too, I am sure. We can go baby kiting together. I look forward to that.

Other than that, I don't have much. We have plenty of toys and videos, but those only go so far. Maybe I can use this time to develop some sort of talent or hobby. We shall see how that goes. Perhaps woodworking.