Bonus Room Campout

I woke up in a tent Saturday morning. I wasn't camping out. Rather, I was camping in.

Camping out in style and inside.

Graham and I enjoyed a bonus room campout this weekend with our full-sized tent claiming the majority of open floor space. It was Erica and my attempt to lift G's spirits. Based on his inability to remain still as we set the tent up, it's fair to say our efforts worked.

Graham stayed with friends during Erica's midwife appointment Friday afternoon. He left in a saddened state. His buddy would be camping out with his dad that night at a nearby park, and Graham wanted to go. We decided to do the next-best thing. If you prefer to avoid near-freezing temperatures as I do, you might say we did the even-better thing.

Having run, jumped, and danced through the upstairs of the house as bedtime neared, Graham calmed down enough to change into his pajamas and brush his teeth. Having done the same myself already (well, minus the running, jumping, and dancing), I waited for Graham aside the tent with the stage all set for our overnight adventure. He emerged from his bedroom and trudged slowly down the hallway with a pillow under one arm and dragging Curious George in his free hand. I took a mental picture of a an image that warmed my heart.

The tent served as our sleeping quarters Friday night and as fuel for Graham's imagination in the morning. It functioned as a baseball field one moment, a rocket ship the next ("The stars are beautiful!"), and an airplane in another instance.

My first father-son camping memory involved a pup tent, lots of rain, and a leaky roof. That introduction to the great outdoors as an elementary school kid then may explain my preference for the great indoors now. The toasty temperatures and pumpkin pancake breakfast that awaited us in the morning (Thanks babe!) further made the case for bonus room camping as the way to go. Or to stay.

The Simple Things

Saturdays often begin with Erica and me searching for possibilities of how to entertain Graham for the day. It can be stressful when we lack for good ideas. Today served as a reminder that I make things too complicated.

Following a late breakfast at one of our favorite local spots, Graham and I went for a walk. We played "I Spy" along the way.

"I spy a yellow car" ... "I spy a fire hydrant" ... "I spy the number eight."

Then Graham said, "I'm going to chase you."

I jogged ahead until he caught up. He tagged me and laughed.

"Now you chase me," he said.

He ran ahead until I caught up. I tagged him. He laughed again.

On it went as we circled the block.

So much for needing a plan.

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Graham became excited when a little boy entered the play area this evening.

"Daddy, it's another boy," he called out.

Graham said "Hi" and waved several times as the boy climbed up the stairs toward him. Eventually, the boy mumbled "Hi" in return.

Graham turned back toward me.

"He said 'Hi!'"

Would that everyone were so kind.

A week ago he told three different kids at a birthday party, "You will be my best friend."

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Graham and I did bedtime by ourselves tonight since Erica is feeling sick. We read books, said a prayer, and told a story. Our normal routine.

As I got to the point in my story where we order donuts, Graham became concerned about Mommy not being included. He "ordered" a donut for her, slid down the slide on his bed, and went to the bonus room to deliver the imaginary treat himself.

"Mommy will be so happy with her donut," he said as he left.

He was correct.