Snow

So far this winter we have been blessed with a lot of snow. Blessed, yes, I think so, because for me, the beauty and fun of snow makes the long, dead cold more bearable. But for Hunter, snow is just fun.

Hunter has never gotten to play in the snow much until this winter. Last winter, he was only one and a half and our total ventures out into the snow came up to a total of one. But this year, he is enthralled by it.

We got the opportunity to play and learn in the snow today. The last time we played outside the snow was perfect packing snow and we built a snowman. But today the snow was very light, so light in fact that the trampoline (which was under a foot of snow) didn't even droop (with packing snow it droops with only two inches on it).

We talked about how light it was and compared it to the snow we played with before.

"The packing snow we made a snowman out of is more dense than this light, fluffy snow. It's light and fluffy because the molecules are further apart [spread hands apart] and with packing snow, the molecules are closer together [bring hands together]. Molecules are all the little bitty pieces that make up the snow." [smiles and continues playing (don't worry, next time it snows he will repeat every word of what I just said)]

"Look, it doesn't stick together very good when you pack it, does it?" [shakes head and smiles]

All together we enjoyed about a half hour of snow play before it was time to go inside. We didn't do much talking, but I just loved watching Hunter play with the snow. He was experimenting with everything from molding it to throwing it to rolling in it, kicking it, even eating it. I'm so thankful that I get to share these moments with him, even if it just means watching. And I am also thankful that he gets to have these moments, which could never happen in an overcrowded, overstimulating day care environment (that is, if they let the kids play outside at all during the winter).

These priceless moments of learning will never come again. The winter will soon be over, and this is his last ever winter as a two-year-old. Yes, there will be more days. More winters. More times of learning. But once it is over, you can never regain your days. I encourage parents to recapture parenting, to be their with their children and help them learn about their world. It is an honorable thing to do, and the chance will never come again. Be blessed.

"For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength."

Job 37:6

Hunter is 2 years, 11 months old