"Snow" what?

We waited all day for it. The 2-4 inches (or 1-3 inches, depending on what news station you watch) of snow finally made it's appearance in the late afternoon. Emme & I watched out the window as big, fluffy flakes drifted to the ground covering the backyard in a blanket of white. She asked me if it was time for Delaney's nap yet. Darn it. Emme remembered I told her if there was enough snow by the time Delaney went down for her afternoon snooze, I'd take her outside. Not one to break a promise, as soon as Delaney nodded off, the snow suits were on.

After twenty minutes of suiting up, I handed the baby monitor over to Clay and Emme & I trudged out the door. Emme was enthralled by the snow. Immediately, she wandered into the middle of the backyard, stretched her arms out and began to spin. All I could do was laugh and smile at her. My big girl, not so little anymore. I shook off any guilt I had for not using D's nap to tend to the baskets of unfolded laundry and tossed a snow ball at Emme. She giggled and tried to gather enough snow between her over sized thermal mittens to fire back at me. We ran around for a while. She tried to copy my foot prints left on the driveway, she threw snow at Bella (who chomped at the snow like it was a dog treat), she plopped down and made a family of snow angels, she tried to make more snow balls, she rolled in the snow. Then she decided to taste it.

At first, Emme simply stuck out her tongue and let the snow flakes fall into her mouth. She got a bit more curious and tasted the snow that was stuck on her mittens. Then she did a full face plant in the snow and took a big bite. Before I objected, I reminded my self that I, too, did this as a kid (many times) and I lived to tell the story. I let her carry on.

As the sun gave it's last light (and I could no longer feel my fingers), the two of us headed inside. Clay had graciously laid towels on the dining room floor for Emme & I to shed our snow attire. Emme sat down, took off her boots, her socks, hat, mittens, and coat. She also decided to lose her pink turtle neck and under shirt, too. Wearing nothing but black leggings, she walked over to the basement door and insisted she needed something. Now, the only thing I could think of on the other side of the door is an organizer that houses some spices and canned goods. I opened the door and she pointed at a dust pan & brush hanging under the shelves. Oh, okay. Have at it, kid. She sat down on the towel with our boots and began to brush the snow off them. I was thinking, "Gosh, buddy, that's really nice of you to clean-up for mommy." Then she turned her boots over and began brushing the snow on the bottom. Still cleaning, very cute, right? Not so fast.

Emme put the brush down and began picking at the jammed snow with her finger. Clay & I insisted she didn't need to worry about the bottom of her boots, the snow would melt away. She gave us a very confused look then began licking her finger. She was eating the snow off the bottom of her boots! I shivered thinking of Bella doing her business under that lovely, white snow. Clay must have been thinking the very same thing as we both yelled, "NO!" Emme flashed us a clueless expression, "Whhaaat?"

Come to think of it, I had a dog when I was Emme's age :)