(no subject)

I am feeling disgruntled because tonight it is Friday, but M has to work tomorrow so it is not WEEKEND yet. They're doing inventory. I shouldn't complain because it's been like a year and a half since the last Saturday inventory (they're supposed to do about four a year, I think) but it is stinky. When he has to work on a weekend or stay out late for some other reason, I tend to like to do something fun to distract myself from it, but I don't even have any plans for tomorrow. I had thought about driving up to see my parents but the weather isn't terribly nice so I think I'll pass on three hours in the car. My grandfather is staying tonight with my parents (he had a new battery put in his pacemaker today) so I don't think they'll come down here, either, though it was mentioned. I guess I might do some shopping to get out of the house. i am feeling a bit stir crazy. Until this afternoon, I hadn't been anywhere since Sunday. I so hate dragging Evelyn out in weather like this. I don't mean that I fear for her getting cold. I mean the indignities of sloshing through a parking lot with slushy muck soaking into my shoes while carrying a 36-pound child in a bulky jacket. (Carrying, so as to HURRY INSIDE ALREADY, for she does not believe in hurrying.)

After we got home this evening, I told her that she could play in the snow long enough for me to carry all of our stuff in. I knew it would take a bunch of trips because I bought heavy stuff. She really wasn't dressed for playing in the snow, so the bargain was that she would come in when I was done. Is that what happened? No, of course not. She kept saying that she wasn't ready yet, and then she ran away from me in a direction toward the road. So, I promptly marched out there to collect her because she is NOT allowed to run from Mommy. Anyway, she was mad as I was carrying her under my arm into the house but as we hit the doorway, it suddenly hit her that she was COLD. I was trying to shut the door when she really realized her situation and she broke down into panicked, pained tears because she was so cold. I immediately started stripping off the coat and gloves (now wet, of course) and she was quite irritated at first, because MOM, did you not HEAR me, I am COLD, STOP UNDRESSING ME. When I started on her pants, she figured out that they were all really wet and cold so getting them off would be good. She was icy cold, so I ended up stripping us both down and climbing into my bed with her so my body heat could warm her up. Folks, let me tell you that when you allow another human being to put just-taken-out-of-snowy-gloved hands on your bare belly, it is LOVE. It was so sweet, though, because she was just truly upset about getting so cold, and that she hadn't realized it until she came inside. It was a great teachable moment, as though these moments sink in with a child this age, but anyway. I snuggled her closer and explained that Mommy knew that she was cold, and that's why she has a Mommy to take care of her. She was so pleased and even seemed grateful. Of course she won't remember this next time, but at least I had a pretty nice end to my day. It can be much worse than snuggles with a sweet baby, frozen or not.