You can tell when it is time to come in from playing in the snow – the baby falls asleep while swinging. Emily had been sweet to push Julia in the swing and after a while she announced that Julia was asleep. I tucked Julia’s hands into her sleeves pulled her hat over her head better and then loaded Emily into the sled and gave her a ride. Actually it was like 8 trips around our side yard with her skidding down the hill and me pulling her back up. Then I took them in for naptime.

Somehow Emily learned about snowballs on her own. She played out with Robby as he shoveled the driveway. Her play included taking a soda to Daddy carefully (only dropped it once), throwing snowballs at Daddy, and exploring in the snow for tracks. The next day when she, Julia, and Mommy were outside together she continued the snowball game by placing snowballs on Julia and throwing them at Mommy. Her placement of the snowballs was not to Julia’s liking so we had to make a rule to only share them with Mommy. We did give a snowball to Julia to play with.

The girls enjoyed sitting together in the sled taking rides around the yard and up and down the street. Julia would sit stiffly and look around while Emily giggled and held Julia steady (most of the time). The best ride was on the road, but required a lot of parent effort to make it happen. Emily was also very interested in taking Julia for a ride in the sled. Luckily the sled never took off with Julia.

We built a snowgirl together with starter pieces from the snow left from the plow. The snow packed really well for snowmen. We asked Emily if the snowman was a girl or boy and she decided girl. Then we asked what the snowgirl should be named and she decided Frosty. Emily helped place the heart, nose, and mouth. Emily has enjoyed checking on her from the windows and visiting her when we have been outside.

We had a wonderful snow storm come and leave us approximately six inches of snow this past weekend. The snow arrived mid-day Friday and snowed through the night and then off and on Saturday. Because it came on the weekend and it was a forecasted snow we were prepared and didn’t need to go anywhere. We had several opportunities to play outside together in the snow and enjoy the wonderful white.
 
Emily knows a lot about snow from books, TV shows, and movies but hasn’t had much opportunity to experience it first hand. She told us that she wanted to throw snowballs at Daddy before we even went out to play. Neither girl was impressed with the number of layers that Mommy put on them to go out and play. Over the consecutive trips back out the number of layers was moderated to maximize warmth, but allow for more movement in play. I think Julia was most appreciative.

Emily never tired of playing in the snow, but did get pretty wet every trip out. Julia was frustrated with not being able to move well. She couldn’t figure out how to get up once she had fallen down because she didn’t like putting her hands in the snow. She did enjoy the sled and it’s freedom.

Julia doesn’t fall asleep at the table much, but it is so funny every time and we have to take a photo. This particular evening she was eating slower and slower and I was just about to take her out and see if she wanted to lay down. The next thing I knew was that Emily was telling me Julia had fallen asleep.

All Mamas have their own special tricks and sweet moments with their babies. So many I have forgotten because we moved on from them as the girls have grown and we don’t notice their absence, but tonight I had a sweet reminder of one. Julia doesn’t go to sleep in my arms much now, but as a baby when she would go to sleep in my arms and I would put her down to find out she wasn’t as asleep as I presumed. I would then have to pick her up to try again. I learned a trick to keep this from happening – I would kiss her forehead and if she stirred she was not ready to be laid down and if she remained still then it was safe to put her down. I love all those kisses . . . it worked again tonight like a charm!