So This is Winter...

...with a one-year old.  Not sure I'm loving the winter season as much as I usually do.  Not to say that I really know how much I love winter-- I haven't had a really had a wintery winter in a loooong time.  There was last winter here, in Saratoga, where we hardly had any snow (our sled and snowshoes sat lonely in the garage).  Then there was the winter in Dresden, which had freezing temps and snow for Christmas (about a month of it), but then everything melted and the rest of the winter was mild (it was just enough snow for a ski trip and some sledding).  Then before that we lived in Austin for two years (snow situation there-- pretty obvious).  SO.... long story short, I haven't had a real COLD or SNOWY winter in forever...  Maybe I don't even like winter anymore...

I was actually very excited about this winter.  Lots of snow, lots of snowshoeing, lots of sledding... maybe even some skiing or snowboarding...

BUT, I didn't realize a few key things about having a one-year-old in the winter time.

1.  You can't really bring your one-year-old out to play if it's below freezing.  Maybe you can get in a quick sprint from car to store, but that's about it.

2.  One-year-olds hate snowsuits.

3.  One-year-olds hate boots even more than snowsuits.

4.  It takes at least 15 minutes (usually more) to chase your one-year-old around the house to put on snowsuit, boots, hat, mittens, etc.

5.  One-year-olds will not walk in or on snow.

6.  One-year-olds will only last outdoors HALF the amount of time it took you to get them ready to go there.

7.  Even if you do manage to stay out longer than seven and a half minutes, chances are whatever activity you've chosen is not nearly as exciting as walking on pavement, touching the dirtiest snow in a 4 foot radius, or crying to go "home now".

8.  As soon as you've unbundled your one-year-old (which takes at least 5 minutes of chasing the one-year-old around the house while she waddles around with her snowsuit around her knees dripping dirty snow off the one boot she's swinging like a lasso) she will turn around, bang at the door and ask for "out, snow! PLEASE!"

That said, we have had some successful sledding trips, one great snowshoe adventure, and some fun playing in the yard...

BUT, next week is going to be below freezing... all week... not even an hour of above freezing temps.  I'm going to go crazy...

Looks like there will be a lot of playing inside.  We're getting to be playing inside pros.

And if we get too stir crazy, we can always visit the new baby...

MiniM.E.'s First Haircut

MiniM.E. was not the baby born with the head of luxurious hair.  In fact, a couple months in, all the hair on the top of her head fell out and she looked like a balding old man.  Then, as she was more active but still spent lots of time on her back, all the hair on the back of her head rubbed off.  So as she's grown, she started developing the "Mullet with Reverse Rat-Tail" look.

Part of me (the mushy sentimental side) didn't want to cut her hair.  Ever.  Or at least for a few years.  Why not let it grow in naturally? I thought.  BECAUSE YOUR KID HAS A MULLET! the rational side of me kicked in.

I thought of MiniM.E. looking back at her baby photos and wondering, horrified, why I let her run around with a mullett until she was 4.  Unless mullets come back.  Like leggings and baggy sweatshirts.  You never know...

Anyway, I buckled down and did it.  And I'm so glad I did.  I think she looks more grown up and less... scraggly.  She likes it too.  She keeps pulling her hair and saying "hair-tut".  So we're all happy.

Hair-nest on it's way to baby-mullet.

After about 3 minutes of hair cut.  "DONE!"

Looking much better...

Baby-mullet: avoided!

The Last of the Snow

...For a while...

It's been in the 40's and raining, so the foot of fluffy, white snow we used to have is now a few inches of crusty brown snow and will probably be just a few patches by midweek.

So, MiniM.E. and I went out to enjoy the snow while we still could.

On Thursday there was still some snow.  We tried sledding, but MiniM.E. insisted on a walk instead.  Which was fine because there isn't much cuter than a toddler waddling around in a snowsuit.

she even rode the horse statue!

By the time we went out this morning, the snow was almost gone and it was cold and damp.  We still managed a walk because MiniM.E. had been asking for a wagon ride and it's nice to get outside.

She didn't seem to mind the weather.  Note to self: make sure to have rain boots come spring- this kid is a puddle jumper!

Playing Inside

With the warmer temperatures the past few days, it's really mucky out.  The snow is too wet to play or sled in and the streets are slick.  It's damp and cold so it's not really nice for playing outside.  We signed up for lots of morning activities during the week to keep us busy on days like these, so we only have to find things to do at home in the afternoons.  MiniM.E. doesn't seem to mind playing inside- after all, she has all sorts of fun new toys from Christmas like a shopping cart and a bounce and spin zebra.

But, like any baby, she's more happy running around naked

watching TV (she's recently developed a long enough attention span to watch a cartoon.  She loves Curious George)

taking all her toys out of her closet

reorganizing the pantry

or drumming.

Whatever keeps her happy!

The coolest present she got for Christmas was a custom made, room matching, jungle animal themed activity board.

It has 10 doors to open, ten different latches, jungle animals under the doors plus a mirror, lights that work, a door latch, lacing strings, a pulley, castor wheels, and a flower track.

Thanks to my parents for making it (a bazillion man hours).  It turned out great and she loves it- even though she can't do most of the latches yet.

An Exciting Weekend

Last weekend we went sledding.  It wasn't our first time out, but it was, by far, our most successful.

Our previous trips were always cut short.  MiniM.E. wasn't happy in her snowsuit, or her mittens fell off and she wouldn't put them back on, or she had an unexplained crying fit, or-- worst of all-- one of us dumped her off the sled, face first, into the snow.

We weren't really expecting Saturday's sledding trip to be long lived, especially since we were meeting up with two other toddlers (and their parents).  The amount of time spent sledding decreases exponentially with each added toddler...

BUT, everyone seemed to have a great time.  And with the mild weather, we were out for at least a couple hours.

Looking adorable... though quite immobile...

Someone sees the sledding hill!

Not to happy to share

...or sit alone... 

Yep, that was fun.  More please!

Everyone at the top.

Riding down with Daddy

A long day of sledding led to a visit with even more friends downtown.  At that point, MiniM.E. was pretty "done" (which she signed repeatedly), but she was a trooper.  We wore her out!

Sunday we went to a fancy 1st birthday party:

... Guess I'll have to start planning MiniM.E.'s 2nd!!

MiniM.E. wasn't too keen on all the people and another baby getting to open presents.  At least there was a dog.

Today we started off our week with an exciting visit to a new baby.  MiniM.E. definitely isn't ready for a sibling anytime soon... she was extremely jealous.  But it was fun to see Baby O.

What a cutie.  Aren't they they best when they're sleeping?

New Year's Resolutions

It's been almost a week since it became 2013.

Here is a list MiniM.E. and I came up with for her New Year's Resolutions.  *note: she has yet to follow through with any of them.

1. I will sleep through the night.
2. I will drink milk only from a cup during the day.
3. I will play more independently.  For at least 5 minutes at a time.
4. I will try new foods.  I can not live on only cheese, cheddar bunnies and tomatoes.
5. I will pick up my toys so that I don't always leave a trail that looks like it was left by a tornado.
6. I will continue to be adorable, hug my mommy lots, and tell her I love her (which, actually, she has been awesome at!)

... I have to say that even though there are a few things MiniM.E. could work on... she's a pretty awesome toddler, and really, though the above mentioned items might be nice, I know that I'm lucky that MiniM.E. is just who she is.  I love that she's talking up a storm, loves to try to pick up the cats, asks me to "pick you up" when she wants me to hold her, and will come and give me kisses or cuddles if I just ask.

I'm so grateful that I've be able to watch her grow this past year, and I can't wait to see her grow in 2013.  Happy New Year!

The Start of the New Year

2012 ended on a bit of a stressful note.  We planned a trip to CT to see my extended family the weekend after Christmas.  We woke up Saturday morning, packed and ready to go, only to find that our heat was broken.  After some hemming and hawing, we decided to make the trip anyway, and get the heat fixed when we got back.  (Poor kitties, stayed at home for two days in the cold!)

It was nice to see my family in CT.  MiniM.E. had a great time.  She's not usually a very good eater, but since that was pretty much all we did, she managed to warm up to food and ate played with a lot.

cookies as a between-course snack

"Wait a minute, what's that you have there?"

"Eh, not my thing.  You eat it."

We arrived home to a 46 degree house (brr!!).  We only found one place open on Sunday, but they were charging ridiculous overtime, so we decided to have a "camp out" at home and call it an adventure until someone could show up Monday morning.

We made a fire, put on lots of layers and cuddled together.  Fortunately, unlike in a power outage, we had other warm things like space heaters, ovens, and electric blankets.

All bundled up, reading with a teddy bear, and watching TV.

Napping under the tree with the kitties

Just chilling (literally) on the floor.

Monday morning we couldn't get a hold of the repair man and we had to shiver near the fire until noon before someone finally showed up.  Thankfully the furnace wasn't broken, it just needed a part and by the afternoon the house was toasty warm again.

Just in time for some sledding!

MiniM.E. isn't too crazy about being out in the snow yet.  Probably the snowsuit... or boots... or hat... maybe the cold?  But she seemed to have a good time.

And now it's 2013.  I really can't believe a whole year has gone by.  Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy New Year.