Seasons

Julia has been desperate for snow lately, so when I told her, two nights ago, that the overnight forecast was for a mix of rain and snow, she was overjoyed.  I also warned her that the forecast predicted zero inches of accumulation, but she paid me no mind.

JULIA: Well, Mommy, sometimes the weather forecast can be WRONG.
ME: That's true, but in this case, I really doubt we'll get any snow on the ground.
JULIA: I just KNOW it in my heart that it's gonna stick.  I just KNOW that I'm right.

When Julia awoke the next morning, she came bursting downstairs, running to the window to check for snow.  What was initially rain did indeed wind up changing over to snow, and Julia stood glued to the window all morning before school, watching to see if the snow would stick.

Both girls were filled with joy and delight as we headed off in the flurries to walk Julia to school:

Catching snowflakes on their tongues

Super-excited Madeleine

However, the joy was short-lived for at least one of the kids.

MADELEINE: Julia!  When you get home from school, we're gonna go SLEDDING!
ME: Oh, honey, there's not going to be enough snow for sledding.  It's not going to stick.

This is how Madeleine looked for the remainder of the walk to Julia's school:

"But I want to go sleeehhhhdding!"


Poor Madeleine is SO utterly confused about the seasons.  Especially considering the flurries yesterday morning, and the fact that the temps have been in the twenties the past two mornings as we walked to school.  After we had dropped Julia off today, Madeleine struggled to understand just what a heck was going on with the seasons.

ME: Oh, look, Madeleine, the wind is blowing leaves all around in the air up there!
MADELEINE: (gazing upwards) But Mama?  Is it FALL?
ME: Yup.  It's fall.
MADELEINE: But Mama.  How did it CHANGE BACK to fall?
ME: It didn't change back.  It's still fall.  It just feels a little bit like winter.
MADELEINE: But Mama?  Is winter just another word for CHRISTMAS?
ME: No, honey, winter is a season.  Christmas is a holiday that happens in the winter, but winter lasts for months.  Winter is the time of year when it gets really cold, and it might snow, and the days get dark very early, like in the afternoon.
MADELEINE: Yeah!  Like it's kind of dark out right now!
ME: Right. (Wrong.)

A few moments later, our conversation took a REALLY confusing turn.

MADELEINE: So Mama.  Who's TALLER?
ME: Who's taller of what people?
MADELEINE: No.  Mama.  Who's TALLER?
ME: Of who?
MADELEINE: Of down HERE.
ME: Of down where?  Of our shadows on the ground?
MADELEINE: No.  Who's TALLER?
ME: Of who?
MADELEINE: Of me and Daddy.
ME: Oh.  Daddy.
MADELEINE: Oh.

With that cleared up, Madeleine's thoughts turned back towards seasons.

MADELEINE: And Mama?  I wish it was SPRING CHRISTMAS.
ME: Spring Christmas?  What does that mean??
MADELEINE: It means you can ICE-SKATE, and pick APPLES.

Oh, brother.  I can see she *really* gets it.

Nothing says "spring" and "Christmas" more than a good ol' time at the apple orchard!