Midday snow pictures.

The house in the snow. I first thought that the house was a bit wildly painted, then I grew used to is. Now, I positively love the way it looks in the snow.

Last week, I heard on the radio that we WILL have a white Christmas. I guess that means no melting. That got me to wondering about the amount of snow on every street and piled in ever parking lot and lawns, etc. David says they seem to be trucking snow away downtown. I wonder how high the piles get and what doe the city look like in February. We were up last February but it was bitter cold and I just didn't notice how much snow there was. I also think that last year was a light snow year. When David moved up in April, there were stlill snow piles around town. Sure if they are 10 or 12 feet high, those piles are going to last a long time. There was, however, no snow by June.

Here is Julia and Daddy get ready for Julia's first sled ride. David dug out his childhood sled that we've carried from place to place. David used it as a kid; Cheshire used it as a kid; and now it's Julia's turn. She loved, loved, loved the idea of the sled but was pretty excited just being pulled along our street. Our street does slope up and we dragged her all the way up the street and then turned around and went down. It was a very slow ride down, but it was plenty for our girl. She laughed and cheered and loved it.

I think we have to build up to a real hill, but I guess we will have plenty of time to do that. I am sure it looks a little silly to see two grownups pulling a 6 year old up the street. I think most kids this age are on the hills, but Julia n needs the tuning. When Cheshire was a little one, I thought of her as finely tuned. She didn't need lots of admonishment or yelling and never any hitting. She was very atuned to her teachers' and parents' disappointment. She was the first one to say that someone yelled at her when all that person did was raise their voice slightly. (This did change in her teen age years. LOL)

Julia on the other hand, is hardly tuned at all. I am now telling her to make sure she responds to my first calling or admonishment. She wants to please but doesn't really know that I don't want to yell at her forever! I keep reminding her to listen and respond immediately and she is getting better at it.

As for experiences, like the sled, she has no idea how to respond. She can be unwilling to try anything new because of her excitment and I am sure, fear as well. Today's ride up and down the street was a exciting as a big rollercoaster. I do wonder what it would be like for her if she had siblings and was expected to just join into the fun. Seeing other kids doing these exciting things might make her more comfortable, but then again, it might not be that simple. She might need the very one-on-one care that we give her.

And that is why two old grownups were pulling Julia up the street and down again this afternoon.