First day of snow

I’m not sure why the first day of true snow is a disaster every year, but it is.

I thought we were on top of things this year. We’d gotten the boots and snowpants and coats and gloves out weeks ago. We’d sorted which gear was for which kid way back then. They’d even been wearing their coats and gloves for the past couple of weeks. How much could go wrong?

Plenty, apparently.

This morning we woke to find that enough snow had fallen to make dreams of snowballs and snowmen finally a reality, but suddenly, despite all our preparation, none of the snow gear was satisfactory. My eldest’s gloves, fine until today, were now too ripped to use in the snow. My middle one, having somehow lost his gloves already, decided that he should take back the pair that had been passed down to his younger brother. The youngest announced that his boots were too “floppy” to be worn, and cried when I told him there was no other option.

I do not exaggerate even in the slightest when I say it took us a full twenty-five minutes to get snow gear on three children, at least two of whom should be able to take care of these things on their own by now. Normally speaking we have time to play a bit with friends in the schoolyard before the bell rings. Today we just managed to make it on time.

The irony, of course, is that today was the day when they wanted most to be there early, to play in the snow (which was excellent packing snow, I might add), build forts, do snow angels, and throw snowballs behind the teachers’ backs. This was the day they’d been waiting for. They’d been describing it with great enthusiasm to our Japanese and Spanish homestay students. They’d been planning where the fort would go in the backyard for maximum protection from the sidewalk.

Then they couldn’t get dressed in time to do any of it.

Hopefully the snow hangs around long enough for them to play in it after school. Hopefully they’re able to get their gear on it time to enjoy it. Either way, I’m already looking forward to spring.