Snow.....possible
Snow that sticks to the ground.....maybe
Snow that piles up a few inches.......not that often
The "warnings" were announced and the radar showed the forcast.....Thursday, we were to get snow. I went to work, the kids to school. About mid morning the flurries began. Around lunch they increased. By 130, the snow was falling. My afternoon patients cancelled, so I headed to pick up the kiddos and head home. Abby's very first snow and Ben's first snow as a toddler. I had in my head getting them all dressed in their most wintery clothes. Hats, gloves, boots....check! Get the camera! Get the iphone so you can send Marc some pictures. I saw Ben running to the back door.....smiling and giggling. I invisioned him running and hopping and frolicking in the 3 or so inches of beautiful white fluffy snow!
Wow, how wrong was I!! Ben adamently refused to go out! He cried when I tried to put on his coat and boots. He stood at the back door as I took Abby out and shook his head saying "don't like, don't like!!!" Now, as a Mommy, you know you can't force this....but you also, don't want your 2 year old scared of something not scary. I put Abby in her full body fluffy snow suit and hat, sit her on the kitchen floor and I finally convinced him to come onto the back patio. I turn around to find this...
We head out. Now were talking! Ben gets to the edge of the patio and freezes! "No, don't like!" begins again. I think, he'll warm up to it just let him go at his own pace. Eventually, he starts mowing the snow.
Then ventures out into the yard! YAY! Success!! Mother of the Year!! Then, this happens.....
He heads to OF ALL PLACES the hill. Plenty of level snow covered ground to play in....my child goes to the Mt Everest of our back yard. Well, my right hand holding the big camera and my left arm holding Abby, I said, "Ben, Ben, maybe we should stay down here" No sir! Here he goes! Gets about 1/2 way up and starts sliding. I run over to my now crying toddler and stand at the bottom of the hill behind him as he makes it to the top. YAY for Ben!! Then, in an instant, he wants to come down. He realizes he is at the top of a slippery snow covered hill and Mommy is at the bottom. He starts crying....and I mean crying! Mommy to the rescue!! With Abby in one arm, the camera over my shoulder I swoop in to save the day......then fall and slide down the hill. I manage to land on my right side so Abby is held safe and probably had a fun ride. Ben now screams! Where can I put Abby? In the snow? I run in and put her in the highchair by the window as Ben now reaches a blood curdling scream. I race out and get him. My somewhat snow scared toddler is now probably a snow -aphobic!!
Into the house we go! Snow day = snow nightmare!!
We warm up, eat a snack and then talk about how brave Ben was to climb that hill. He says, "fell down" I said, "yes, you did but you were so brave" He said, "mommy fell down" Well, yes, my Dear, your Mommy bit it!
Marc left work early, so I asked Ben if he wanted to go to the front yard and wait on Daddy. "Yes, please!". Bundle up the kiddos once again, and off we go. Marc gets home and he and Ben start making snow balls. Snow -aphobic no more! He played and stomped and kicked the snow. Ben was happy! The fear was gone!
Lesson 1: Things don't always go as planned
Lesson 2: Hills covered in snow are just as hard when you fall as when they are dry
Lesson 3: Milk and Bread aren't what we need when it snows....get padding, some cleats and some tylanol before you take on a snow covered hill
Lesson 4: Snow can be fun....watching snow from the window can be alot less stressful
Lesson 5: When you have a 9 mth old and a 2 year old.....phone a friend or wait for your husband before you take them out in the snow for the first time
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