Winter Wonderland

Happy 2022! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season. We were lucky enough to go home to Wisconsin this year and our little was able to meet so many of our family and friends. It was a wonderful trip. Sadly, we weren’t lucky enough to have a white Christmas while we were home. The snow in Wisconsin missed us by just two days. However, it seems the holiday spirit wasn’t ready to let go of Maryland because on January 3 Mother Nature hit us with a whopping eight inches of fluffy snow! Sean and I have lived here since 2012 and this is easily the most snow I’ve ever seen in Annapolis. Our daughter did see snow last winter, but she was so tiny she had no idea what was happening. Therefore, I count this Winter Wonderland as her first real snow experience.

After nearly two weeks of traveling, the thought of ordering snow boots for baby girl slipped my mind until the night before the storm. I scrambled around trying to find something that would suit her tiny feet. At the last minute, I ended up snagging a pair that are three sizes too big. Add to that: mittens that are befuddling for tiny hands, an oversized snowsuit, and a hat, and you get a very confused toddler. Her first encounter with the winter wonderland didn’t quite go as expected.

I’m hoping her reaction was more confusion about her hands and feet and less about the snow itself. Once she got her bearings – and a nap – we went for a walk through the neighborhood. Thankfully she enjoyed this part of our snow day and we were able to soak in the beauty of the freshly fallen snow. The old trees lining the road gave the impression that we were living inside a snow globe. The sun even made a brief appearance to cap off a perfect snow day.

It’s currently day three of the snow, and sadly, things have taken a turn for the slushy. Our backyard is a complete mud puddle. Gray piles of snow line the roads. The old trees now threaten to drop snowballs on you at every turn. I know the snow will never last in Maryland, but I’m always sad to watch it leave us. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of a snowy winter and our daughter will come around on the winter wonderland. Sean wants to teach her to ski, after all.