Snow Day #326

Guess who didn't have school AGAIN because of snow? I'll give you one guess.

Snow days are fun because there's no schedule, but they're also harder because there's no schedule. The girls spend all day together inside and therefore get cranky and fight more easily, and I have to come up with more things to do so that they DON'T fight. I came over at 12:15 today and M had her friend, O, over. O is the one who went to F.A.O. Schwarz with us the last big snow day when they made their own muppets. She's very sweet and quirky. The mom wasn't home when I got there but O's nanny was. She stayed at the house for the whole play date so that she didn't have to travel back and forth in the snow. She was really nice and stayed in the kitchen reading 'Eclipse' the whole time while I watched over the girls. They were there for awhile too. Their play date was about 4 hours long. They were speaking in Tagalog (Filipino) to each other so I guess O's nanny is Filipino too.

As soon as I got there we played hide and go seek using the whole house. Those girls picked some creative hiding spots! I was helping the seeker find the other 2 but there was one time I wanted to surprise them and hide myself. I had the best hiding spot ever. I hid in the dad's closet in between his shirts. I should not have been there but it was a brilliant spot because it was so small one wouldn't think to look there. I don't think they ever realized I was hiding because once they found the other 2 girls they started over again. This went on for about 3 rounds before I finally came out because I was bored and hot.

Next game was the sleeping bag race. We had 2 sleeping bags and 3 girls, so I would pull one sleeping bag with M and O on it and they would hold onto the other sleeping bag with W on it. They loved it and then wanted me, O's nanny, AND Mercy to pull the 3 of them....so we did! Then they wanted to pull US! So the 3 of them pulled us adults and we all laughed and laughed. It was hilarious and only made possible because the mom wasn't home.

Once the adults got tired of pulling them around, M and O decided to make a fort, reminiscent of the one that W and her friend made yesterday. In this case, however, M didn't want her sister involved in the making of the fort. W wanted desperately to play with them and M wanted her alone time with her friend. W had a hard time understanding this but I came up with ways to distract her. She settled on coloring her calendar and ended up getting pretty into it. M eventually came in and told us we could play with them but I told her we were fine doing what we were doing. Then M got totally upset because she thought we didn't want to play with them. I mean, come on....you can't please anybody no matter what you do or say. I am so over this. M had her tantrum and fought back the tears and refused to talk to me about why she was upset. So I ignored it and she was fine 15 minutes later.

So then the mom comes home. This is right about the time M asks me to make them a snack, so I go in the kitchen to prepare them blueberries and healthy snacks. Ohhhh nooooo. The mom has just come back from Whole Foods and thought it would be nice to give them strawberries dipped in chocolate. I think healthy, she thinks sugar. Great, thanks. I'll be the one to deal with it when they smear the chocolate all over their faces in attempts to make chocolate mustaches and I'll be the one cleaning up the table when all the chocolate drips on it and gets on their clothes. The girls, of course, LOVE this treat and eat the remaining chocolate with spoons.

Then they got the idea to pretend they were injured and scare Mercy and their mom into thinking they broke their elbow or were cut. Then they wanted to do fake blood on their arms but couldn't find anything realistic enough. I realized I had red lipstick in my make-up bag and I let them put it on their arms as if bleeding. It looked so fake but they thought it was brilliant.

The second after O left the girls wanted to go play in the snow. I love the snow and think it's gorgeous, but I am over playing in it. M was being very impatient and very pissy when her mom said we could play for 20 minutes instead of 30. They were realllly testing my patience in the snow. They were purposefully taking a long time to walk back home because they didn't want to leave. The mom was VERY clear about only 20 minutes and I didn't want her to be mad at me, but what am I gonna do? Drag them by their feet? M even said something about being with "strict Emma". I said, "HEY! The only reason I'm strict is because I love you guys and I'm worried about your safety." I wanted to say, "how dare you? Do you realize your lives are in my hands and I will be the one getting fired if anything goes awry? Of COURSE I'm going to be strict about rules".

We made up by the time we got home and they took quick, separate baths. While W was in the bath, M was working on her valentine card for me. So what if it's February 26th? It's never too late for a valentine. She started singing "Apple Blossom Time" which is the song I sang all goofily that they recorded on their camera and watch over and over again. M has watched the movie so many times that she has memorized the song! I had no idea she knew all the words and the tune! So I had her sing it on the camera for me to send to my friend who knows the song.

Baths complete, we were just hanging tight at the table, coloring away, when the mom said they were leaving. It was only 5:40! They normally leave at 6:30! I didn't mind this at all but we were not ready because it was so early! We went through the process we go through every Friday of me asking them if they have everything packed that they'll want for the weekend and rushing to put on their coats as we're waiting for the elevator.

This time, I stayed behind in the apartment with Mercy while they all left. I liked being in the home alone with no noise. It's a much different atmosphere with no kiddies around. Mercy walked around and drew the shades, and I walked out 20 minutes behind the mom and girls.