Wednesday Morning....

Erin -- Mommy Mommy.....Look out the window!
Mommy -- Erin, I'm going to teach you how to tell time so you don't come yelling at me at 7:15. What is it?
E -- Mommy Mommy....Look out the window!
M -- What is it Erin?
E -- Mommy mommy...Look out the window!
M(realizing she's not going to get anywhere without looking out the window) -- Ooohhh look it snowed. Isn't it pretty?
E -- Let's go out and play.
M -- A little later hunny, why don't you come snuggle for a bit.
Jeffrey (from other room) -- MOMMMMMMMYYYY!!!!
E -- Mommy, Jeffrey's awake! You have to go get him. He needs you.
M (realizing her efforts to remain in bed are futile) -- Ok, let's get him.

So mommy convinces Erin and Jeffrey to snuggle for a little bit and watch Disney. But Erin could only wait soooo long to go play outside. Flash forward to around 10 AM after breakfast and some playtime.

M -- OK should we get ready to go outside now?
E -- Yes Yes Yes!
J -- No (response to everything)
M -- Let's go upstairs and get some clothes on to go outside. Erin you get out of your PJ's while I get Jeffrey ready. Hmmm Jeffrey, you don't really have good snow clothes. Let's put on these old sweatpants and a pair of footie PJ's underneath. That will keep your legs warm. Sound good? Good!
E (hollering from the potty) -- Mommy wipe!
M -- Just a second Sweetie. There we go. OK let's get some clothes on. Comfy? Good. OK, let's get boots and jackets on.
E -- Is this the right foot mommy?
M -- Yep...good work.
E (throws boot across room) -- I Can't Do it!!!!
M -- Calm down, let's do it together. See? There we go. Now, do you know where Jeffrey's boots are? (after a check in his room and the basement we find them in the basket where I first looked). Let's put Jeffrey's boots on. OK Jeffrey push. Push. Let me loosen them. Yeah, this isn't going to work. Well you can't go out in your sneakers. I know...sister's old boots. Yes, I know they're pink, but it will be ok. OK Jeffrey, push.
E -- Mommy I wanna go outside.
M -- We're working on it. Ok, bud, this isn't going to work. Pants off. Footie pants off. Pull your socks up. Pink boots on. There we go bud. Now for coats.
E -- Mommy I need my mittens.
M -- I think they are in the basement. Let me check. Ok Erin, no they're not here. We'll wear different ones.
E -- NO!!! I need my pink gloves.
M (looking for other mittens) -- Erin you're going to have to wear other ones.
E -- There they are mommy. There they are. See them! Up there. I need those ones.
M -- Ok Erin. I see them. Coats on. (5 minutes later) Ok, coats are on. Let's get mittens and hats on. Push. Push your hands guys. Keep pushing them. Ok this is the best it's gonna get. Let's go outside!
E -- YAY!!!
J -- YAY!!!

Outside playing in snow...Jeffrey's pink boots keeping his feet fairly warm. Three minutes later.....

Erin -- Potty! Mommy I have to go potty.

Sigh...thankfully our neighbor and her daughter had joined us for some snow playing. Mommy runs Erin inside, gets her undressed and puts her on the potty. Ten seconds later Erin is "all done" and we go back outside.

Lessons learned?
1 -- Buy Jeffrey snow boots....even if he might grow out of them. Otherwise it's big pink boots for him.
2 -- Plan a good 40 minutes to get dressed and get outside.
3 -- Find mittens that will stay on.
4 -- Make sure they really really want to be outside....otherwise it's 40 minutes preparation for 10 minutes of play.
and most importantly...
5 -- Go Potty First.

No matter. We had fun playing in the snow again. Erin made more snow angles and played hiking up the hill. Jeffrey played on the slide and tried to clear the cars off. I guess is was all worth it.