cabin fever

since indiana has a proper winter, it is often too cold to spend much time playing outside. cosmo really needs physical activity every day, as i think most kids do. so, we enrolled him in a swim class at the YMCA, which he and i really love. he is learning to relax on his back, blow bubbles, and he paddles his arms and kicks like a pro.



cosmo has also invented his own form of daily exercise: he runs laps around the loop of rooms that we call home. i learned about the power of "broadcasting" from our friend jane, in houston, so i act as the announcer at a race track with the sole contestant being cosmo. i narrate his journey down the hall, round the bend, through the kitchen, across the living room and back to the hall. we sometimes count the laps, he'll often pause to jump over a threshold, plunk a few keys of the piano, or touch the bird poster.

this is a nightly, pre-bath activity, so as he makes his laps, various articles of clothing are removed until he is finally a naked streaker on the track. he loves this part the most, and will just keep running lap after lap, grinning, laughing, wearing himself out. for the final few laps, carl picks him up and he runs in air, "ladies and gentleman, our contestant is now airborne, he can fly! the crowd goes wild!" the whole affair concludes with a splash into the tub.