Let it Snow--Let it Go!

So today was the 1st day of legitimate, stick on the ground snow.  This came at a not-so-good time as Chase and I are both sick.  Nothing major, just enough to be irritating.  Also coming with poor timing is Hubba Hubba's memory lapse in forgetting to take MJ's car seat out of his truck and leave it for me.  And coming with even worse timing is the fact that today was the day that I had scheduled for grocery shopping.  All this to say is that I HAD to go to the store and the only way to get there was on foot.

So I wrapped up the littles as snugly as possible for 30 degree weather and got them both looking vaguely like the little brother in The Christmas Story.  At one point Chase DID look like a tick about to pop!  After I had decided there was no possible room for another layer on either one I ran as fast as a mom can run pushing two kids in a double stroller with blustery wind and snow pelting one's face.  We retrieved our essentials, looked at every toy and Christmas decoration in the store, ate a donut and headed home.

When we got back home Mya decided that this would be prime time to show her brother the Snow Ropes.  This is really his first experience in the white stuff and she really felt the need to indoctrinate him into the World of Snowball Fights.  I thought better of it for a moment as the mini is not feeling 100% but how does one drag a young boy from his very first snow day without feeling that pang of guilt?  So I figured a few minutes wouldn't hurt.  He was no sooner out of the stroller when his sister came up with guns blazing and launched a fatty right to his face.  There was so much snow he literally couldn't inhale without it going up his nose.  Had it not been for the snot melting it immediately he may have suffocated a little.  I quickly went into Mama Bear mode and scolded her stating that he did not know what a snow ball fight was, didn't know what the hell snow was for that matter and that she needed to ease him into the whole thing by teaching him how it goes and what to do.  She obviously missed the fact that boys don't necessarily come with genetic coding on how to snow ball fight.  So she went about teaching him the rules, all the while hurling snow right into his face.  I continue to rage.  He is trying to get the hang of it but due to the aforementioned "tick status" he was scarcely able to raise his arms.  With such limited range of motion he was forced to implement a side-arm type hurl which started to get him somewhere. 

While all of this was transpiring I started analyzing my anger toward the elder.  Is this right?  Does the baby always turn the mom against her 1st born angel?  Are these emotions fair, right and normal?  Once the Moose started getting into it and getting his sister in the kisser I found myself applauding him internally and saying "Ya! Take THAT!"  WTH?  This is my baby girl that I am rooting against.  Are you sure this is right?  And furthermore, why am I admitting to this?  Perhaps it is my eternal praise for the underdog that got me going?  Maybe a flashback from childhood where I was the recipient of freezing cold snow washes lit my fire?  I'm not certain the source--all I know is I was legitimately hoping for him to teach her a lesson in rosy red snow rashes. 

Then I started feeling bad about all of this and tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.  She really WAS showing him the right way to play the game.  Play hard or go inside.  And maybe, just maybe she kept pelting him front n' center in an effort to remove the double barrel snot guns that he was bringing to the game.  For this, I couldn't blame her as it was pretty gross.  Upon this realization I ran in to retrieve a Kleenex.  At least I would take this option out of the equation...

When I finished wiping him, a delightful surprise...I was now a part of the ambush!  I guess I never really considered myself a welcomed player in the game due to the size differential but I figured, why not!  I thought "This a prime opportunity to teach her about snowball fights and picking on people your own size."  HOW MEAN, right?  I am her MOM not her arch nemesis.  Where the hell is all of this coming from?  But when she threw the ball at me my only choice was to fight back. 

I point blank ranged her--right in the forehead.  Now mind you, this is light, fluffy, new snow so there was no injury and no need for you to call CPS but I was kind of shocked at my ability to make my own offspring cold.  I half-winced after the delivery and held my breath waiting for the response.  Much to my surprise (though I am sure not to many of you) she responded with uncontrollable laughter!  She was so pleased at my aim and fire that she rewarded me with giggles! 

So here I am trying to teach her the standard Golden Rule method of do unto others and it is simply falling on deaf ears.  Is it that I am old and unaware that, cold or not, snow is a damn good time?  I am trying to elicit a "think before you act" sort of lesson and instead I'm being met with the portrait of "Game ON!"  This brings me to the fact that I am constantly over thinking this parenting thing.  I'm so busy planning my next move that I don't live in the moment and respond like I would to any other human being.  If my next door neighbor would have come at me with this business we would have rumbled, laughed and brushed it off.  It made me realize that there are times to be a mom and there are times to remove the mask and just have fun with my kids.  At this point in my journey it is not coming so second nature.  I am needing to blog about it to see where I went wrong.  But my hope is that with time and practice I will learn to be a better balance of parent and pal.  It's going to be a loooong winter so I am sure I will be met with ample opportunity! 

Happy Snow Day to you all.  Hope you are gifted with the same chances to grow that I was!

Some pics of my "tick" :)