We have this little closety cubby like thing under our stairs. It is a coat closet that goes way back and it is carpeted with new carpet. If there were a light in there it would be a great little room for the kids to play. Oh never mind, who needs a light. They LOVE playing in there. They call it their "secret camp out". I've taken to hanging cheap plastic shoe holders to the inside of the closet doors and that is where we keep mittens and hats in the winter and sunhats and sunglasses in the summer. They both have their own flash light in the holder for going into the "secret camp out".
Today, I got Bryson down for a nap and Lawrence was getting dinner ready. The girls were running circles around us and we both had a headache. Loud circles. Then Addie asked, "My go in the seecket campout?". "SURE!" I say. Because seriously, did my child just ask to go into a dark closet and close the door? :) I laughed as they both ducked under coats and stepped over vacuums and bins full of summer games like parachutes and croket, diving back to the open area of the campout. Who knows what they've got back there. Some stuffed animals, books, "seats" (and I'm using that term pretty loosely), and of course the "conjector" for movie watching. The conjector, or projector, if you will is a little projector my brother got Lily for her birthday last year. It plays view masters. They both LOVE IT. You would think they were going to the drive in as the excitement mounts for then to dive into a closet of $hit to watch "movies". You can hear them in there, under the stairs, arguing about whose turn it is to "work" the conjector. Or who needs to turn their flashlight off. Or who can't see without their flash light.
Today when they emerged, Lily said, "Mom, look what I found in the secret camp out". It was a stuffed penguin that my mom's friend, Marilyn, gave to Addie about 2 years ago. You would have thought Lily struck gold the affection she showed this thing. She caressed it and touched it to her face, flapped it's wings and marvelled how they looked like arms. She wanted to know how it got around, then proceeded to experiment with making it waddle or zoom on it's belly.
She loves stuffed animals more than what seems humanly possible. I saw her set it on the stair ledge before going in the bathroom to brush teeth (we have a strict, no-stuffed-animals-in-the-bathroom rule), she nuzzled it, and told it how cute it was nose to nose looking at it longingly for a few more seconds before dashing into the bathroom for TEETH TIME. Then cuddled into bed with it and the 47 other "special" bears, rabbits, and other miscellaneous "guys" that she sleeps with, arranged just so.
I don't know why the stuffed animal loving annoys me so. Maybe because they are germ traps, and collect dust, and we have SO.DAMN.MANY of them. And every single one is cherished more than the next so every one that comes in is more special than the last. Today, while I was rocking Bryson in his room, I could see her interacting with this penguin, her new love, and I laughed.
And I EXPLODED with love for her tender little heart, how a stuffed soft little thing can mean the world to her. How 500 soft little stuffed things, can mean the world to her. I just love her for that. Sometimes you have to stop and think, sometimes the things about a person that drive you absolutely batty are the very characteristics about them that make you LOVE LOVE LOVE them.
Today, a trip under the stairs reminded me.
We used to have a nook under the stairs when I was growing up. It was _the best_ place to play, especially when I had a friend over. My parents put a light bulb in there so we didn't have to worry about flashlights and stuff. Mom would often find me in there reading a book when I needed some time alone. Fun memories! I am glad that Lily and Addie and eventually Bryson all have that to grow up with as well. :)
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