Our snow bunny

When we moved to Tennessee, I expected to see more of the white stuff than we have.  They called for snow one other time and it missed us - so I was actually pretty excited when they started predicting a blizzard.  And stayed excited when our power and cable stayed on!

Elizabeth had seen snow before - we may have gotten an inch when she was about 6 months old.

See how much fun she had?  You can see where she even dropped her teether beside the Bumbo.

So you can imagine my excitement when we got four whole inches and my sweet husband volunteered to take our daughter out to play in the snow for the first time.  Somehow I got out of the duty, being 9 months pregnant and all.  And, after spending many years frozen on the softball field, I didn't mind being in charge of the camera, with the ability to run back inside the house whenever I wanted.

The bundle-up process was an adventure, since I've never thought to buy boots or mittens.  I gave a good attempt at making a couple mittens the night before, but they didn't turn out very well (or very warm-looking, for that matter).  We pulled on the tights under her jeans and put ziploc baggies over two layers of socks and mashed her little shoes on.  I found the smallest pair of mittens I could, thinking at least they would offer elastic around her wrists.  

 

Here they are!  Ready for the big snow!  See Butch on the outside waiting for them!

 

Now, the ground is really hard because we got a layer of sleet, then a layer or snow, topped with a final layer of sleet.  The best thing about our back yard with snow is that you don't have to search out the dog poop before she goes out to play!  Maybe gross, but realistic.  Anyway...they walked around for a bit and then Scott wanted to rig up some sort of sled to pull her around on.

And so he found a tarp in the shed that worked for a while...until she rolled off.  Then, he sent his loving wife in to get a clothes basket...

 

Yes, that is a bungee cord he has hooked to the holes.  Can you tell we both came from thrifty families?!  This worked for a little while until we had our first snow casualty, which resulted in a snowy/snotty nose and lots of tears and screaming (from my child...not Scott!). I missed capturing the display because I had gone inside to start some water for hot chocolate.

See?!  Nothing like chocolate to make it all better.  That's what Grandma Bettie says!  She enjoyed her first hot chocolate experience very much - as she tried to fish out the marshmallows.  Of course, I helped her finish the mug (refer to paragraph one comment about being 9 months pregnant)...

 

Once we got her face cleaned up, we realized she had a little scratch under her nose, which explained the hysterics over the tumble.  But all in all, it was a good first play in the snow.