Two Lumps

Tonight when I went to put Frankie down to bed, I asked the girls to stay in their room and read to each other quietly. Margot crawled under her covers and Ada laid down next to her on the unicorn Pillow Pet, declaring she would tell Margot a "Cheep Cheep" story. Cheep Cheep is a mischievous squirrel that Stephen has been relaying stories about for several years. He usually lays on the floor with his head on the purple unicorn and recounts whatever the little rascal has been up to. Ada was playing daddy tonight as daddy wasn't here for bedtime. 

When I returned from tucking Frankie in this is what I found. Twin lumps under Margot's comforter. This is not the first time this has happened, but it's the first time I am recording it here. No matter how many times it happens in the future, it will always make me pause for a moment and drink it in. 

Snow

It snowed a few weeks ago. It was one of those nights where where the snow starts drifting down just before you close your eyes and in the morning, everything is blanketed in white. The snow gear that still had tags on from two years ago came out and the girls couldn't wait to get suited up. 

For some reason the sight of a 2 year old in snow bibs made me giddy. I am pretty sure I took at least 23 pictures of her itty bitty self. 

When we first looked at this house, I actually said to Stephen , "This would be the perfect little sledding hill in the winter." True story. 

We played outside until we were wet and numb from the cold. Then trooped indoors for popcorn and hot chocolate, dozed by the fire while mittens and socks tumbled in the dryer. Then gear was wriggled back into and out we went again. Five times out in all. 

Our last trip out was after dinner. We took the girls night sledding at the elementary school down the block. The hill we had sledded during the day had melted at the bottom, making for a rough landing on the paved parking lot. We located a steeper hill nearby and gathered enough snow to create a soft landing once a sledding crossed the curb. We sledded for over an hour in the municipal light of the street lamps. Frankie was fearless, repeatedly riding down solo on her green saucer. Ada had her own style in the blue. Margot preferred riding with Mommy or Daddy in the big pink sled. Several days after the snow melted, driving past the parking lot on the way to school, I noticed our little ramp was the only evidence left. Slow to melt in the shade. 

On Wednesday of this week we were again hit with another blast of snow and ice. This time the girls only ventured out once. It was icy and sleeting. I have had the flu and could not join the troop. The next day it was already melting. Wet and dripping long before the rain showed up. We all stayed indoors and worked on Valentines and homework for school. And played, there is always loads of play in this house. I doubt we will get any more snow this year. Either way we have plenty of memories stored away.