Two days in the snow with three children and a husband has made me see how different each one of my little's are from each other, how good my husband is and how much I can't imagine my life without them. Not that I didn't know all these things already, but all were so pronounced these two days.
The first day was a little rough. It was grey, snowy, cold and cloudy with only a few peaks from the sun.
Silly and bossy
Paloma was not happy with the white foreign-element. It was her first time seeing it, so I expected her to be unsure about it. She was cold and only wanted daddy's arms. I watched the boys sled down the hill and walk back up, over and over, flurries came down, as I sat still with baby in arms, sleeping. I was cold, but that didn't matter, because I could see their faces looking so happy. She woke up and was still unhappy.
Determined and persistent
Jonas loves sledding. He whines and complains before we get there about ALL the clothes he has to wear, when will we get there and why is dad driving so long. But once he's there, he is non-stop, up and down those hills, never tiring, never wanting to leave, with a smile and determination. "I love Mother Nature," he said.
Laid-back and loving
Angus likes it, but I think he wished snow was warm. He lets us bundle him up, but makes a pouty face while we are doing so. He makes us carry him after, say, the third time sledding downhill. He sits and plays with the snow and isn't as crazy about sledding as Jonas. "I want to go home," he said, on many occasion.
The second day, Paloma napped and woke up ready to play. She ended up liking it after all. She played. She ate the snow. She slipped and called out "help me!" She threw herself on it. All while Jonas kept sledding down and walking up, sledding down and walking up and so on. All while Angus would sit and tell me to hit him with the snow. And if he sled down, we'd have to carry him because he would not move if we didn't. Everyone had a good time. Except Jonas said he'd never sled with me again because we wiped out.
Miah made sure everyone was warm and dry. He got the babes all the things they needed for a fun day. He walked up and down, carrying, instructing and protecting. We had a few, "oh no, dad's mad" moments, but all was good in the end. He was THE MAN! They are very lucky children to have a dad who never tires of teaching, showing, but most especially, loving.
On the way home, they played games. Jonas read to his brother and sister. "I read the book three times." I saw Paloma and Angus, looking and listening to their big brother. The sweetest sight to see.
Moments I never want to forget.