Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate..... Hibernation may last several days or weeks depending on species, ambient temperature, and time of year, and fur on the animal's body. (Wikipedia)
I have no fur but am feeling the inactivity, lower body temp and not really metabolic depression but the depression of the cold air and lack of sun and I am getting tired of the constant act of putting hand sanitizer on my children after hearing of some kid who has the flu or after wiping their snotty face. Also I am tired of hearing of the "latest snow storm" and then being totally disappointed because it was a "few flakes" and not getting that school cancelation or even better, getting the awful snow and STILL having to drive my kid to school!!!!
I wish I could hibernate through the winter....what would that look like...
A few things are going through my mind....
Maybe to stock up the kitchen pantry with snacks and treats (fruits and vegetables would expire so have to get all the preservative stuff..ok some canned veggies/fruits to be "healthy") and say, "good night kids....pantry is all ready for you guys, no fighting, I will see you in the spring!!" and then just curl up in bed...sigh.....
Or
Layer the kids in footie pjs, and blankets and kiss them all as I put them to bed and to know they would sleep through the winter...Wow how awesome would that be to be designed like that!! To wake up and see they are an inch taller and maybe somewhere in all that sleep they learned some manners and to finally sleep through the night IN their own beds, AND are completely potty trained!!! ( A little too much wishful thinking....)
I like to say my family "hibernates" in the winter. Really though it is we are home bodies than hibernating. We don't see our friends for some reason. Even the people who live on the same street. Usually because someone is sick. But even more honestly, because the thought of having to layer my children in their coats and boots that they fight with me for over an hour to put on them ends up with them some how being naked as we are to leave, just exhausts me. And if we do make it to the car, I end up having one of the kids crying because they can't stand having their coats on in their car seat and decide to tell me as we just get on the road, instead of as I buckle them in. Ugh,
Even better though, is when we are able to get out and get to where we need to be, again, they are some how naked when we get there! Ok, not naked, but have half the clothes I had wrestled to put on them on; and the missing items are now lost somewhere in my van and not to be found!!! One of my kids this winter has already managed to fling their boot off as I was closing the van door and I didn't notice; leaving me to carry them my whole trip out....I was glad to find the missing boot laying in the middle of the driveway when I got home.......I was not about to go out and buy a whole new pair and then have to hear, "They don't fit, they are too tight...I don't like them......"
Last I think it feels like hibernation in the winter because it gets dark so early and is dark when you wake up. It just makes you want to sleep and not move waking up to cold and darkness.
As I was finishing this last night, my computer died. So this morning, I got my snow day, my one daughter actually slept in. I am very happy!! Groundhog day is tomorrow, and we will get to see how long this "hibernation" will last.
