out of nowhere

yesterday, out of NOWHERE, it started snowing! i mean, what would my life be like as a meteorologist?

"oops, we didn't see this one coming. but we talked for DAYS about arctic craziness 2007 (which was equivalent to 1 day of temperatures below 38). we apologize to you, the public."

so don't think we didn't take advantage of it. now, this will come as a surprise, i'm sure. but big h wore his buzz lightyear costume. and his new boots.

can we talk for a moment about these boots? he wore them to school yesterday. THE FIRST TIME HE HAS EVER WORN ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIS *SHOES* TO SCHOOL! and he's been going to school since august '05. this is big. wore them to school. showed everyone at school -- teachers, friends, administration, custodial staff. you name them, he showed them. and for almost 510 days, give or take, i have been trying to get him to wear ANY OTHER SHOE. and all of the sudden 2 days ago, he meanders into the goo's room and takes what we thought were going to be her shoes and decides they will be his new kicks. (big sigh) not only did he wear them to school yesterday and the entire time he played in the snow, he wore them to the mall today. (shaking my head in disbelief and a smidgen of frustration.)

i digress.

anyway, it snowed yesterday. if you live in chicago, please don't laugh at us down here. when it snows, we're talking about a 1/18th of a half inch of snow. but if it's white anywhere outside, we run for the coat closet and put on all of our winter garb. because who knows? tomorrow it may be 69 degrees, and we will have to locate our capris and flip flops.

he had a great time with dad. and since i brought my camera, he had to bring his. (translation: thomas the tank engine view master) so hilarious!

today was an incredible day. nothing was done prior to 1:30 in the afternoon. stayed in our jammies, laid around, played with trains and all of the lightning mcqueens we own. you're thinking, "there is only one lightning mcqueen." yes, but they make so many versions of that same car for the parents of boys to make more $$. we headed to the mall. didn't go with anyone, so we weren't rushed to get out of the house, which meant we weren't late. just the 3 of us. and big h is starting to really care about the goo. i mean, he wanted to make sure she had a toy before she got in the car. after all, he had a toy before he got in the car. he wore his winter hat, and so he wanted to make she wore her winter hat. and so on.

made it through pottery barn kids without getting out of the stroller. 1) yes, my 3 1/2-year-old still rides in a double stroller with his 6-month-old sister. back off. we're keeping it that way until he decides he's too big for it. 2) our pottery barn kids excursion usually somewhere around the 6 or FOURTY-SIX minute mark. literally, act of congress to leave that store. "mommy, there's so much neat things here. i can't believe i've always wanted to love this store." (i love my child's grammar. we'll work on it later. right now, we're just pumped that he expresses himself period.) walked out with only 2 things for the goo. clothes. played at the play area without telling anyone how to do so. also a big accomplishment. my kid has a tendency to be a know-it-all. lunch and sprinkle cookies and multiple elevator rides. you can't beat a day like that.

yes. you can. daddy arriving home from work EARLY!