Snow and Sugar Cookies

We have had a couple snows since I've written last. Nothing too measurable, just enough to get us all in the Christmas spirit and be gone. Replaced with 60 degree weather causing all kinds of seasonal confusion on my part. 

But we had our first snow and so we celebrated. Millie and I decided to bake cookies at Grandma's house for a change of scenery. Sometimes that's necessary for us. 

Last year when I made cookies for the first snow Millie was much smaller. She observed from her fathers arms and we thought about how different her next first snow cookie making adventure would be. 

And different it was. 

I had a handsy, nibblely, screech if I don't get my way, girl on my hands. She was so eager to get in on the action that short and simple instructions were barely possible. I had cookies cut out on top of cookies, on top of cookies, on top of cookies. Our girl didn't know that sugar cookie making was different than playdough playing. 

I also had a couple moments. Moments that seem to be coming more often as this spirited little toddler tries and tests.  She moves faster than I can think most days and I can't always catch up in my reactions either. 

But during our sugar cookie making I was able to slow down, take a tiny step back and take a deep breath. A deep breath that said "Chill out Momma." Chill out and help her learn. Chill out and help her have fun. Chill out and just bake perfectly, imperfect, freakin' sugar cookies. 

Even after almost two years of constant interruptions, tasks taking 40 times longer than usual, messes that I certainly did not make but have to clean up, and a tiny body constantly clinging to me I still run thin more often than I care to talk about. I get tested, in fact I just was released from a test of "How long can mom handle me standing on her leg while typing." test. Thank goodness for Daddies who swoop in and save the day. I get frustrated, I get tired, multiple times a day. 

But even through the tests I'm learning ways to take a breath and chill and celebrate the snow, or the sunshine, or the flowers, or whatever. I'm not sure where that ability comes from. A mother's love maybe. 

Together we figured out how to make sugar cookies toddler style. We got flour on our faces and dough in our hair. They tasted the same as always. Based on that fact I'd count the experience as a success. Millie girl was proud and eager to share her creations and so I feel like maybe we've accomplished something in this parenting gig-a heart yearning to share. 

So that's the adventure of this years first snow celebration. Not much different than every other day in the life of Millie...just a little extra sugar. 

Blessings!