Finally -- Fun in the Snow!

Last week the temperatures finally rose to a livable temperature. At the first opportunity I, and everyone else in town, donned their lightest winter gear and headed outside. Andrew and I had shovelled off part of the deck the day before, so Aaron could finally go out an enjoy the winter. We put on our solar fleeces and snow pants and other cold weather gear and headed out. Andrew had a great time digging pathways through the snow. He made it all the way to the sandbox and dug down to the sand.

Then he continued along the fence, down the slide and over to the little climbing / slide house that I had just dug out for Aaron.

We took Aaron down the laneway and off to see a bulldozer moving snow around, and to watch some people skating. Andrew climbed a "giant" mountain of snow. On the way back to our yard Andrew was running way ahead down the laneway. It was lovely to see him so happy to be out, and finally comfortable enough in his neighbourhood and himself to run to our yard by himself. I let Aaron walk for a little bit, but he was tenative. You could see him thinking, "This is all so big. Those . . . tall things. That . . .big wide thing above us. All the stuff on the ground . . . " I decided I had to fill in a few words for him as we went.

Its hard to remember, sometimes, that Aaron doesn't remember the outside, since for the last few months he's just been rushed from house to car to store or house. He loves going out and just staring at the sheer size of everything. It is all so beautiful and new for him. I love that gift that children give us -- the gift to see the world anew.