It’s snowing!!!! (08/02/07)

Today it snowed. The kids were ecstatic and started singing Jingle Bells and asking if Santa would be bringing some toys (like they don’t have more than enough already!) – I guess in their eyes snow = Christmas. The kids were wrapped up in so many layers they looked rather round, but they were enthralled by the sight, feel and even the taste of the snow. Yep, you’d think snow was a delicacy the way Jasmine was licking it off her gloves! Ben amused himself by throwing snowballs at my back as I pushed Jasmine in the pram – I did get him back a few times though. He thought it was hilarious when he slipped and fell on his bottom, but then moaned that his bum was hurting. I realised that this is the first time they have both been old enough to enjoy snow – and probably the first time we’ve had so much of it in a looonnng time.

He'll be swimming like a fish in no time

As it was snowing quite hard I didn’t take Ben to school, but decided that he couldn’t miss his first swimming lesson at the local pool. I am so glad that I decided to brave the elements! Ben was so cute! He looked adorable in his little red trunks and I couldn’t resist an ‘aaahhh’ when he tentatively walked down the steps into the baby pool. He clung to the instructor’s hand until she managed to reassure him that his feet actually could touch the ground, the look of relief on his face was tangible! When asked to dip his face into the water, emboldened by the ‘so-not-a-beginner girl’ next to him who dunked her head under for a few seconds, Ben came up spluttering and obviously decided he didn’t like this at all, and tried to climb out of the pool! He hated being splashed, but handled it rather well – even splashing the instructor towards the end of the class. I was so proud when he was led from one side of the pool to the other with a floating pole round himself, kicking furiously. I had thought he would totally freak out when the instructor gently pushed him into a horizontal position, but he bravely kicked on! That’s my boy. So, lesson number one went really well and he is looking forward to the next one. He’s already even picked out a locker in the changing room that he would like to use next time; ‘I want the one with the blue hair band (sic) on it!’ As for Jasmine, I had to keep stopping her from attempting to splash in the little fountain near the baby pool! She behaved really well otherwise and was keen on keeping an eye on Ben’s whereabouts. Next time I think Jasmine and I will go in the big pool whilst we wait for Ben so she can have a chance to get used to the water as well. How I'm going to cope when they are both in the pool at the same time with me I don't know - that's why I haven't really taken them swimming much. Pure fear!

Our very first snowman Jack

When we got home it was getting dark, but we decided to try and make a mini snowman – and mini it was! We had nothing for eyes, mouth or nose and it was quickly getting too dark and cold to be any more artistic. Ben thought it should be called Jack and Jack survived for daddy to see him as he came into the house that evening from work. Unfortunately Jack had disappeared by the next day and it looked to be under suspicious circumstances.....(some kid had kicked him in)