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.

Emily just finished her first semester of class at Little Gym. We all joined her for her last ‘showcase’ class. She was pretty shy to preform her skills in front of everyone and was very excited for us to be with her. From the beginning to the end of the semester, we saw Emily grow in confidence to try new things and just enjoy spending time with the parent that took her. Emily loved her teacher – Ms Asha. Her favorite station was the rings and seemed to enjoy the low balance beam a lot when accompanied by a parent.

We have enrolled Emily in another sememster of class and because she just had a birthday she is moving up to a new and more independant class. This new class does not have direct parent involment. It will be a lot of fun to watch her interact with older children and in a circumstance where she is required to listen and respond to instruction from the instructor.

Funny and slightly related to gym story – We tried to eat dinner together after class each week and one week we ate at the restaurant next to the gym. We ordered her a kids meal of mac & cheese and mandarin oranges. After that visit she decided that she loved to eat there and requested it every week going into class and leaving class. She is definitely her Mommy’s daughter.

It is so sweet to see the girls just hanging out with their Daddy. I remembered this time to grab the camera and take a photo. Julia is very aware of what Emily is doing, and if it looks fun she is trying to join in her own way.

Other than celebrating a birthday, we have had a very quiet three weeks with sickness moving through the house. I thought that we were getting out from under the sick gloom and Emily got sick again. The girls and I are ready to get out and mix with other people and maybe tomorrow . . . but that is a thought I have had many times in the last three weeks. When we are officially well, we will have Emily’s birthday party with her friends at a local pool. It is good that she is only three and doesn’t realize that we have moved her party twice already. Being homebound has given us a lot of time to play with our new Christmas and birthday toys. This mommy is very grateful for the new things to hold our interest!

The girls are pretty busy these days and getting them to pose for a photo with anyone let alone a parent is not easy to do. Julia and Emily had been playing in Robby’s lap sweetly and as soon as the camera came out Emily started covering her face and refusing to look at the camera and Julia was upset at Emily’s odd behavior and started to cry. So when the craziness had calmed down and Emily had moved on to play elsewhere I tried again and was much more successful.

This is how a Daddy treats his daughter right! Robby was finishing up a snack and Julia decided she wanted to sample some herself. I believe she got a finger taste of icing as a reward for just looking darn cute.

We celebrated Julia’s birthday with a visit to a corn maze and pumpkin patch. The day was overcast and cool with a steady breeze. We dressed Julia in her Halloween cow hat for a fun look and to keep her head warm. She enjoyed her ride in the front pack around the maze and patch. Grammy and Granddaddy joined us for our fun farm day.

Emily enjoyed hiking the maze trails, walking through muddy puddles, and flying over big ones. She wanted to punch her card at each of the posts. And for some odd reason she wanted to walk in the back of the group. She loved riding the tractor wagon to the pumpkin patch and looking at the different pumpkins in the patch. Emily also tried her first corndog as she shared her mother’s one.