Melting

Life has been unseasonably mild here in the nation's capital. After a beautiful and sunny weekend with temperatures above freezing on both days, we have seen a significant amount of our snow melting away.

We are not complaining, in any manner.

Just to put this in perspective, here is a photo taken one year ago tomorrow, right outside our home.

This was me, the first in the house to get up, surveying the damage after the storm and trying to dig out two square feet for our dog to sneak outside to use the bathroom.

When you live in Ottawa, you are ready for Spring as soon as you flip that calendar over on February 28th. You yearn for sunshine and the ability to be outside for longer than five minutes at a time. And while NOTHING could come close to how much snow we had last year, we are still eagerly counting the days until we can bare the white flesh of our toes in sandals and run freely across our front lawn.

Thus, with unbridled excitement and anticipation, the 3 Things huddled in front of our living room window to watch Daddy chip away at the sewer grate so the melting ice and subsequent water could flow underground and not flood the street.

As luck would have it, I caught a moment here between Thing 1 and Thing 3.

Thing 3 waved at her Daddy for 20 non-stop minutes. (See? She DOES have hair in the back!)

Managed a close-up of the not-sick-but-teething-red-blotchy-mouth-and-runny-nose face.

Upon asking Thing 1 to go to his room to "cool down" on Friday evening, I returned to invite him to join the rest of his family for dinner. His pre-birthday party excitement was too much. He passed out on the carpet of his bedroom. Ah, to be five again.

What am I talking about? I'd settle for 25 again!!!