Snow Day

Henry, unsure about this "snow" stuff!

Today was one of those days that reminded me of a being a kid, growing up in the woods on the East Coast. Sometimes, if my sister and I were lucky, we'd go to sleep with snow lightly falling outside, and wake up to a winter wonderland, everything white and so very quiet. I think the particular quiet that happens the morning after a big snow storm is the most beautiful quiet of all, and I still remember how magical that felt, waking up and seeing everything blanketed in white and sparkling. On those mornings we'd wait and listen to the radio for school cancellations, and when we heard ours named off we'd hoot and holler, jump and shout, so excited to be able to stay in our pajamas. My Mom would make us hot chocolate on the stove top, and then we'd excitedly suit up for a day of playing outside. Snowsuits, boots, mittens, hats and scarves...the entire world was out there waiting for us to explore.

Now that I'm a Mom it's amazing to see everything through Henry's eyes. At one, he's just starting to take it all in, and I can already see how exciting the world is to him. Last night we went to sleep with snow falling, and this morning we woke up to even more of it. It kept up all day, and by tonight we were just about snowed it.  This afternoon we spent some time outside, and Henry wasn't quite sure what to make of all of it. He went from confused to curious, happy to downright excited when he realized the snowflakes were sticking to him. The smile on his face as he looked up at the snow was priceless, and this afternoon is something I'll never forget.

I think one of the best parts about being a parent is being able to see everyday things as special again, through the eyes of your child. When I was younger I loved snow, but more recently as an adult I've found it to be a hassle, causing me to be late to work, unable to drive, or just plain cold. But now with Henry I'm relearning how to be a kid again; how to look at things in a new way, how to find extraordinary in the ordinary. And for that, I am so grateful.

xo