It's a puzzle I tell you: dressing your children in the cold weather months. I was determined to get it right this year. I'm not a rookie. I wanted to count myself among the prepared. And so I didn't wait to rummage through the local rummage sales piecing together a warm-enough ensemble. I ordered the snow bibs from Hanna Andersson and the mittens on a string for both girls. They both had coats and hats from previous years and previous owners. We were ready.
It's safe to say that Naomi has some tactile sensitivities. What I mean by that is getting a jacket, boots, hats and gloves on her, in no particular order, is a real ordeal. My "I'm leaving without you" walk out the door is very convincing. But it's a bit of a downer to have to pull that out every day. Then a couple things happened. First, I noticed that there was not a single vacancy in the row of hooks by my front door. And then one day at Naomi's preschool pick-up I witnessed a rock-star mom getting her daughters dressed for outside. (She is European and I pay particular attention to mothers that hail from colder climates than our own.) They were dressed in the full-on all-weather snow-suit -and it wasn't snowing. "I'm done," she said. "You will see them in this till March." "Don't they complain?" I countered. She looked at me with confusion and her eyes said, "Do you think I care?" And the winter wardrobe dilemma dissolved right then and there. The winter coat that isn't water-proof is being given away. The fleece is being hidden. Today I drove back to the consignment shop I was just at and bought a similarly legitimate "winter suit" complete with hat and mittens. This set is almost half the price of the snow-bibs I bought new.
I feel like I've broken some code.
But for now that all can wait. Tomorrow we head a few states south to celebrate a dear friend's wedding. I'm packing some ribbon and an old handkerchief to wrap her flowers in. It will be a special time with old friends in the Capitol city which we all shared several years ago.
Great call. Yes, take note from cultures that have seen cold weather for generations before America was even dreamed about. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI love this.
ReplyDeletethanks, Mel. :)
DeleteIn Germany there is a saying which translates: "there is no bad weather, only bad clothing." We have discovered that all kids have "mud pants" for playing outside which are worn over their regular clothing (before the snow season when regular snow suits are worn). All toddlers wear the equivalent of fishing waders over their clothing. It lets kids play without having to protect their clothing. Clever, those Europeans!
ReplyDeleteYes, we were given those exact mud waders by our Swiss neighbors. I looked at them and said -genius. Please pass on any more perfectly good European sense! :)
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