Winter: A New Friend

Last year, winter and I were not friends.

My kids had a love/hate relationship with the snow. They loved to talk about how much fun it would to play in it, but they never lasted outside for more than five minutes. Bundling them in their snow gear took a full 30 minutes, so you can imagine how exhausting the preparation process was with little return on investment. We had a serious case of cabin fever for nearly three months!

I was also very pregnant with my son Max at the time and each snowfall only seemed to intensify the tired, aching state of the third trimester. I went into labor in the middle of the night in the middle of an ice storm, which made for an interesting ride to the hospital and also delayed my epidural – a huge strike against winter in my book! (Something to consider for anyone who goes into labor during inclement weather, check to see if the anaesthesiologist is at the hospital when you arrive. It will take them longer to drive in if they’re not so you’ll want to plan ahead!)

But this year, winter has felt different. Perhaps I’m feeling a bit nostalgic remembering bringing Max home from the hospital in the snow, or it’s that my children actually love playing outside, making all the bundling efforts worthwhile, but I’m appreciating all that winter has to offer. The more mild winter we are having has certainly helped as well! And while it’s still not my favorite season, let’s just say we’ve made amends and we’re friends again.