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I've said before that I L O V E the cold and so last night and this morning has been utterly blissful for me. I never get tired of seeing my breath float away before my eyes or layering sweaters and hats and scarves. It's also a wonderful opportunity to bundle up Hollis.
The only thing cuter than a cute baby is a cute baby wrapped in winter wear!!
Our usual morning routine consists of getting Hollis up and dressed, making breakfast for him then myself and Anthony (while Anthony feeds Hollis), cleaning up breakfast while Hollis plays in his kitchen zone, more playing in his bedroom, then a nap. With Anthony out of town I skip the whole effort to make myself breakfast and so that eliminates the clean up time. I took this opportunity to take Hollis out into the brisk, cold Texas morning. And when I say "cold," I really mean cold (not some wimpy 60 degree chill, but a real, grown up cold snap of 36 degrees!).
Oh man, what a treat!
I can't find a good baby hat and mittens set here in Texas, so I'm missing the hand protection for my little guy, but that didn't seem to slow him down any. He investigated our Christmas lights, played on his bench, and grabbed fistfuls of our neighbor's lavender blooms. We practiced walking up and back the sidewalk and he would teeter and sway with the effort of walking uphill.
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Getting out every day really reminds me of how sedentary I really am. I remind myself of an adult cow - no, seriously. You know how calves are so cute and energetic? Finding interest and intrigue in every blade of grass and reveling in exerting themselves with playful bucks and sprints across the field? Yeah, well that was me as a kid. Now I'm the sedate cow, munching her cud, no longer interested in finding wonder in the world. I eat, I sleep, I clean, I shop, I do finances, I clean some more.
I do have a daily routine with Hollis to walk down to the mailbox and inevitably we run into neighbors and chat while I push him in the swing. It's something I want to keep in our routine for sure, but I know myself and I rarely do anything consistently.
I know I sound like I'm complaining, but I'm really just being honest; I don't remember the last time I ran just for the sake of running. But I am thinking about it more. I want to share every little thing with Hollis and not just be an observer. I want to remember the thrill of the wind in my hair and the happiness of being in the sun. I don't even get outside for 15 minutes a day anymore!! And besides being dangerous for my vitamin D levels (and Hollis') that's just plain stupid in my opinion.
I feel like a kid again in so many ways now that I'm a mother (funny how that works). It's important to me to enjoy every second of this.
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OMG adult cow! I have to admit, I don't imagine calves to be all *that* energetic, but you made me laugh all the same!
ReplyDeleteAnd you take such great pictures! They're all great, but the one that makes me want to reach through the screen and cuddle Hollis is that 2nd one.
Not that I know from experience, but something tells me that your sedentary days may be coming to an end with Hollis' walking.
My mom told me she lost 20 lbs once I started walking! (Not that it's about that, but you get what I'm saying.)
Anyway, I totally hear you about cold and winter (and being out in fresh air period). I was worried about winter when I moved to Iowa, having spent my entire life in California and the desert southwest. But I have to admit, I like winter. I like it that it gets bone-chilling cold so there's no chance you'd brave it without gloves and hat. I like it that around February I start wishing for days that break 20 degrees because 26 degrees is downright balmy. Maybe it's that it gets your blood flowing, or maybe it's the contrast that makes you more aware of the passage of time/seasons or makes you appreciate being *able* to go outside the rest of the year...either way, yes: winter is good.