Water and Snow

We kicked off the year with a quick trip to Timber Ridge, in Lake Geneva. It's so close and perfect for young kids.  The Grand Geneva has incredible decorations for Christmas and winter. I was happy we got to catch them before they got taken down. They are magical.

But it was also a great way to end the Christmas season, and begin focusing on fun winter things...Like indoor waterparks! We had so much fun together. Jack was brave enough to do the big slides and in the "warm pool" (aka hot tub) that is half inside and half outside (kinda fun to watch your hair freeze and your breath, while sitting in a hot bath). And Alice was incredibly independent herself. She had so much fun going down the little slides, I think she went on them at least 80 times consecutively-Each time, devising some different way to do so. She was thoroughly entertaining herself, and I had no fears of her falling under. It was so nice.

My little water baby.

Then, the long awaited snow FINALLY arrived last week. It's funny how it's welcomed when it doesn't come for all of November and December. We had a BLAST sledding. Jamie and Jack went on Saturday and then convinced Alice and I to join them again on Sunday. I'm glad we did.

 A magical bond formed between Jack and Al. She was scared to sled, so she went down a few times with me or Jamie. Then Jack finally talked her into going down with him, and once she did, she never left his side.

I watched them on their own at the bottom of the hill and realized that they are both kids now. I don't have to watch over Alice's every move anymore. She can do things on her own and she wants to. It was as if sending her down the hill was like sending her off to be on her own. I wasn't going to be there to help her dodge the other sledders or guide her to the stairs once she got off the sled. I started to get a little sad about it, but then I saw as she lost sight of Jack and she stopped in her tracks and yelled aimlessly up towards the top of the hill, "Mom! I need help!"  To which I quickly ran down the hill to her rescue. Whew! I was so relieved that I'm not entirely useless anymore!

When we were warming up by the fire in the field house, Jack said, "Alice can have a sleepover in my room tonight, because she let me take her on the sled."  She was thrilled. 
If I could only bottle moments like those up!