Winter Wonderland

There is little that is more magical than the first snowfall of the year (unless, of course, you are forced to drive in it). But for a child, the first falling flakes are nothing sort of miraculous. Yesterday we had our first snowfall in Virginia, and Robby could not have been happier.

The pleas began with the first falling flakes. After checking the weather forecast and concluding that the snowfall would be measurable, I quickly drank my coffee and began the task of dressing Robby. About fifteen minutes later--after putting on his snow pants, boots, coat, gloves, hat and scarf--my little snow bug was ready to go.

It took me slightly less time to get dressed. I remembered that I needed to remove my leg before slipping on my snow pants only after I couldn't fit my prosthesis through the opening. After looking for nearly 10 minutes I finally found my swim leg in the back of Robby's ride-on firetruck. I could find only one boot, but I quickly realized that it wasn't a problem. I put the boot on my foot and a sneaker on my prosthetic. After all, I don't need to care about those toes getting cold!

With both of us bundled up, we headed outside. Robby immediately grabbed his shovel and took off through the yard. He was shoveling out Mr. Bill's walkway by the time I gingerly made my way up the slippery driveway. By the end of the winter last year I had become adept at walking in the snow. I think it is going to take a few days for me to regain my "snow legs."

Robby had a blast shoveling out Mr. Bill's walkway. After all, he loves little more than digging! He was ecstatic when Mr. Bill gave him money (unsolicited) for a job well done. He began jumping up and down cheering that he had been given "paper money." We continued up the street shoveling out all of our neighbors' walkways. After several hours Robby had a small ball of "paper money" stuffed into his coat pockets.

After shoveling out the neighbors and taking time to sled with some little friends, I finally managed to convince Robby to come home. He didn't seem cold, but I was freezing! Mr. Bill called him over to the door one last time as we walked home.

The two spoke, and then Robby went sprinting home. Scott met him at the door, stripped him out of his snow wardrobe and ushered him inside. By the time I took off my layers and switched legs, Robby was standing in the kitchen gulping down water.

At first I didn't think anything of his drinking. After all, we had been playing outside for nearly three hours. I stopped his chugging after his third glass and asked him what was wrong.

With an excited smile he told me a secret that Mr. Bill told him. "Momom, Mr. Bill told me that when I pee pee in the snow I can practice writing my letters. I need to drink a lot because Robby has a lot of letters. R O B B Y will take a lot of pee pee and I want to write it in the snow. That's a good idea!"

Hmm... So much for the pretty snow. It must be a boy thing!