Snow days!

It feels like we've had more snow this winter than we've had in the past three winters combined.

The last time it snowed this many times was the year Sawyer was born. 

It snowed four days after he was born as we were headed to the pediatrician's office for his first checkup, adding to my already MONSTROUS level of stress. The morning of his doctor's appointment, I got up early and worked on getting him fed and getting us ready so we'd be on time. Thankfully, my parents were still there to help me. I was scrambling to pack a diaper bag and find decent-looking clothes that would fit me. Sawyer was screaming as we tried to dress him. And then I realized the worst part ... I didn't have a clue how to hook him in the car seat. 

Ray had done it on the way home from the hospital two days before, and Sawyer hadn't been back in the seat since. Now, I'm certain it couldn't have been that difficult to figure out, but it just sent me over the edge. I was tired, in a lot of pain, in a hurry and now stressed out that I was going to hook him in wrong or hurt him. And of course, he was wailing because most newborns hate car seats. It took every last ounce of patience to hold it together and figure out the straps and snaps. 

My mom and I got Sawyer in the car and set out for the doctor's appointment when the flakes started falling. And it felt like I was going to lose my mind. It was just flurries at that point, but to a new mother, maxxed out on hormones and driving her son for the first time, it might as well have been a blizzard. I was afraid Sawyer would get cold going that 50 feet from the car to the doctor's office. The visit was OK, but then we had to drive home in the snow (which wasn't even really sticking yet)!!! It snowed all night and the next morning, so much so that my parents couldn't make it home (and I'm CERTAIN they were ready to escape the madness by then). 

It snowed a couple more times that winter, and by then, I was relaxed enough to take Sawyer out in the snow for a few pictures. He won't remember it, but I'll never forget his "first" snow.  

Anyway, Sawyer seems to love the snow, but hasn't had many chances to play in it. So we've been thrilled to have more opportunities this year.

We had a small snow — maybe 1-2 inches — in January. It started about 4 p.m., so Sawyer and I got bundled up and played in it after dinner.

This time, the snow was supposed to start mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Schools were canceled ahead of the storm, and forecasters were predicting a possibility of 6-10 inches for our area. I was bummed because we had plans that weekend to go to the mountains to see SNOW! Normally, I love snow, but I didn't want snow at our house, darnit. This was wrecking my weekend plans.

I had to work from home that morning because Ray had a meeting and Sawyer's school was closed (plus he had pink eye and couldn't go to school anyhow). I managed to get stuff done despite all the distractions of home, and Ray picked up Sawyer about lunchtime. I ate lunch and then headed in to my office just as the flakes started falling. I had thought about just staying home, but I knew I wouldn't be able to focus as well.

I had been at work about 45 minutes when they declared the office was closing early and everyone should go home because of the snow. A teammate walked by and told me I should leave soon because the snow was coming down hard. When I left five minutes later, the parking lot was completely white and my car was one of maybe four still there. It was snowing hard!

And because I'd been in such a hurry to get to work (and was still somewhat in denial about the snow coming), I had driven our little rear-wheel drive sports car, which now could not even make it 50 feet in the slick, powdery snow. I called Ray, happy that he was driving the 4x4 and could come rescue me. I managed to make it back into the parking lot (in reverse!), and I walked a few blocks to meet Sawyer and Ray because traffic in the area was already a nightmare.

We drove by one of Ray's properties to weatherproof it, and the snow was making the roads a huge mess. The idiotic, inexperienced drivers weren't helping. It took us an hour and a half for a roundtrip that would normally take 30 minutes.

By the time we got home, we were exhausted and Sawyer badly needed a nap. He was desperate to play in the snow, but we told him he had to rest first. We had to disappoint him again after the nap and dinner because it was sleeting (and I was not playing in sleet).

I had offered our help to my old newspaper friends, and that night after the paper was done, my friend Whitney called and accepted our it. Ray picked her up and she crashed on our couch while the snow kept falling overnight.

My office was closed Thursday, so after we took Whitney to her car, Sawyer and I finally played in the snow. We built the first snowman that I can ever remember making, though I'm sure we made some as a kid. I think we were usually too busy sledding. We bought two snowman kits back in November — one for us and one for our friends who live in Denver and get plenty of snow. I was determined to use ours now that we had plenty.

 

He was as tall as Sawyer, but pretty skinny. The snow was so crunchy on top, it was hard to get enough soft snow to pack for the snowman. It was really too crunchy to make good snow angels or sled, but we did have fun playing.






Luckily, I had just bought snowpants and nice thermal gloves for my trip to the mountains. I was warm and dry the whole time we were outside.

I thought the snow had canceled our weekend plans, but on Friday, our plans changed again. I'll explain how in my next post.