The Matthews Family Stair Race
April 2, 2020
Having a precocious two-year-old home all the time is exhausting! She is an unstoppable whirlwind of activity- emptying all the drawers in the house, constantly pushing the water button on the refrigerator, peeling the paper off of all of the crayons, and routinely dumping baskets full of freshly folded laundry.
Quarantine has forced us to get creative. We know we have to give this kid things to do so at the very least we know what she is busy doing. And above all else, we have to get her tired enough that she will take a nap. When it comes to quarantine, naptime is worth more than toilet paper! It is only only time in the entire day that we can work uninterrupted. So, the Matthews Family Stair Race was born.
The rules are simple: go up and down the stairs 10 times (4 times for participants age two and under). You choose your style- run, walk, butt scoot, whatever you want to get the job done. Everyone in the family takes a turn- children and adults alike. You are racing the clock. You are fighting for the right to claim the title of Matthews Family Stair Race Champion. The competition is fierce. And the winner gets whatever junk food is available in the pantry, but more importantly pride!
This competition is serious and we are sticklers with the rules. Daddy indicates the exact spot Cadence must touch when she reaches the bottom, while Blithe tracks her time.
The videographer records the first day of competition.
Blithe chooses a more traditional form of locomotion. Her concentration is intense.
Daddy gives it his all and almost injuries himself in the process. Meanwhile, Mama was so fast no photos were captured of her- she was just a blur.
We enter the second day of competition, and Blithe examines the course. She carefully plans her approach.
She realizes her pants might trip her up so she decides to go without them. Meanwhile Daddy decides to prepare for his race with a cocktail. This is a serious competition, but we are also quarantined with two young children during a pandemic, so…
Blithe’s decision to go without pants pays off. She finishes with her best time yet among a crowd of cheering onlookers!
Going without pants worked so well for Blithe that Cadence immediately removes hers. She is ready!
This time she decides to stay upright and her competitive side really comes out. Her screams echo around the entire house.
Daddy gives it his all, but his decision to carb up with a cocktail was in poor form. He cannot recover the time he lost to Mama, who again was too fast to be captured on camera!
The Matthews Family Stair Race is a weekly contest, so stay tuned for the most up-to-date results. Our progress is being tracked over the course of our quarantine. Here are the our current standings. It seems rather random, so please direct your questions toward Blithe.