Snow and other fun

Well, despite it being the first day of spring this week, apparently Old Man Winter didn't want to go out without a bang. We have hardly gotten any snow this season, and then in the last two weeks it has snowed twice. It has been fun, though, to get a good snow in and make use of those snow clothes before they're outgrown.

When it snowed last week, Henry and I enjoyed some time out in the snow while Michael took Robbie up to Massanutten for another ski lesson. Henry was so happy just puttering around in the snow while I cleared the driveway (it wasn't deep), and then he had fun "jumping" on the trampoline. His smile is just the BEST.

 The kids love it when Michael gives piggyback rides. Thank goodness Michael is strong--Clara is getting so big!

 Running so fast.

After the first snow, we enjoyed a day in the 60s. Robbie had the idea of taking the picnic blanket outside on the back lawn and reading our new library books. I thought it was a great idea, and it was so nice to get a taste of spring.

Sadly, the warmth didn't last long, and this past week we got a deeper (about 6 inches?) snow. We took the kids to A Dream Come True park to go sledding with our neighbors, the Zopps. Kate is due seven weeks before me with a boy as well.

Trudging up the hill.

 Poor Henry got snow all in his hat and glasses when he came down the hill. It was funny and sad at the same time. The snow was pretty powdery, so the boys didn't love the sledding for too long, but I think they'll enjoy sledding more as they get older.

The snowman that Michael and the boys made just makes me happy.

I put the spring wreath up on the front door in the hopes to entice spring to come. We are ready.

And it's a . . .

BOY!

We had our anatomy ultrasound last Friday. I had really mixed feelings going into the ultrasound (pros and cons to either gender; just glad it wasn't up to me to decide!), so it was great being able to know and start mentally planning.

 It's amazing at just the length of a banana and only a pound in weight that we could already see the that he has Michael's nose, haha!

I told the kids I would be making cupcakes and that they could open them up to find out whether it's a boy or a girl.

Getting ready . . .

 Surprise!

Clara was not happy, poor kid. I tried to remind her in advance that I had no control over the result. Fortunately, she seems pretty resigned to her fate now, although I have heard her say a few times since Friday, "I hate brothers!" She is so sweet with babies, though, and I know she will love this guy (no name yet) just as much.

Robbie lately

Robbie has participated in some fun activities lately.

Last week for Wacky Wednesday at preschool they all dressed up like Dr. Seuss characters. I was really proud of Robbie that morning because he had wanted to have his hair colored blue like Thing 1 and Thing 2, but I couldn't find the hair chalk anywhere. We looked everywhere. I said a prayer but wasn't really expecting to be able to find it in time before we had to go. I told Robbie, "I'm sorry, buddy, but I just don't think we can find it in time. How about I just spike your hair out instead?" Often he goes ballistic when things don't go according to plan, but he said, "Okay, Mom" and was so flexible. I was so proud of him. But then, we found it in time, so yay! He was so excited and cute.

Robbie's art continues to impress me. He made this mural, which we had hanging up on the kitchen window for a couple of weeks. I believe the only thing I helped with was to draw some of the grass and then some  of the brown "mulch" by the playground at the bottom. I love his sense of scale and how he can fill up the whole page.

On Monday, we got some snow (yay!) and Michael got to take Robbie up to Massanutten Resort for another ski lesson while he got to practice snowboarding. He said that he was also super proud of Robbie because he was having a hard time doing the "pizza" where you point your skis in to go down the mountain (the snowplow), and Robbie would get discouraged when he fell and would get upset. But he kept at it, kept trying, didn't give up, and at the end he was doing it all the way down the mountain. I love that perseverance--this is something I am really trying to work on with Robbie because he gets frustrated when he can't do something right away. I make him repeat after me things like, "This is hard, but I can do it," which he hates saying :-)

 Here he is with our neighbor, Noah Zopp, as they got their gear before heading out to their lesson.

 On the lift with Dad!

This was how Robbie felt when Daddy said it was time to go home. He didn't want to go!

I have also been so grateful to see Robbie playing so nicely with Henry at times. Yes, it is not all the time, by ANY means, but they do play well together a lot of the time, which brings me a taste of that deep joy that Heavenly Father must feel when he sees His children loving each other. He and Clara have sweet moments at times as well, for which I am very grateful.

This is just a quick peek into the rowdiest game of "Memory" I think I've ever witnessed. We had the missionaries over for dinner and FHE on Monday as well as a new friend, Alex, who we wanted to invite to learn more about the gospel. The missionaries gave the lesson, and originally Robbie was in charge of the activity, which he really wanted to do. So the elders and Alex joined the boys in a game of Memory and it was so fun to watch. Robbie is actually quite good at Memory (even though he has a hard time memorizing things like words to songs and scriptures, interestingly enough, but he can much more easily remember locations while we're driving or cards) but hates to lose, but I think he might have won that round. It was fun.

Anyway, we just love this boy! (I registered him for Kindergarten this afternoon. Crazy!)