Of Playing in the Rain

One of our daughter's favorite activities is playing in the rain.  I love that about her.  Thus, as we've been entering fall and the rainy days have returned, I have been waiting anxiously for the time when I could let them put on their shoes to run out and scamper in the puddles.

Unfortunately, most of the stormy weather has waited until bedtime.  Don't get me wrong - I love to fall asleep to the sound of patters against the windows and thunder booming through the air, but waking up to a cloudy morning kind of makes me warm and fuzzy inside (sometimes I wonder if I was meant for Seattle).

Which is why, as I kissed Philip and sent him back to work after lunch this afternoon, I was giddy inside to feel raindrops from the porch.  I rushed back inside, had the kids locate appropriate footwear (because, though she loves getting wet, she does NOT love getting dirty) without bothering to change out of pajamas (that, yes, they were still wearing at lunchtime - this is what happens on cloudy, lazy days), and hurried them out the front door.

 Micaiah, of course, was elated to dance, twirl, run, do push-ups (I feel she'll make her living as a personal trainer someday) and find flowers, all in the rain.

Her brother was equally excited to play in the rain.  Until he stepped off the porch, felt the first drop on his head and ran full force back to the door.  Getting his head wet is NOT his favorite activity.

Even so, Emmett most certainly did want to retreat inside - he'd just stay in the dry corner of the porch, satisfied with the idea of playing in the rain - so I sat with him, baby brother in my arms, occasionally joining my little girl in making footprints (her favorite wet-pavement past-time), but mostly just enjoying the sight of her hair curling with moisture as it bounced against her back, dancing in rhythm with her child-like prancing.

Best moment of the day (and it's not even over - that's how precious this time was).

Of Rainy Day Fun

Waking up to pounding rain and rumbling thunder, I knew today called for one thing (the one thing Micaiah was begging for all last week) - time to pull out her tent for some rainy day fun.  And it all started with breakfast:

That's right, I totally sugared them up - it was a big day for them.  But we stuck to finger foods - even Mommy ate dry Frosted Flakes and Honey Nut Cheerios (and a couple Donettes, of course).  After morning devotions, I turned on The Little Mermaid - trying to be faithful to the water theme for the day.  When I was their age, rainy days meant blankets draped over a card table and extended just far enough to include the tiny and grainy antenna-tv in the basement.  These days it's a Discovery Channel nylon tent with Disney movies on the flat-screen.  Times have changed.

And because I'm all about food making the day special, this was Micaiah's lunch (I emphasize it as Micaiah's because a) I only have one six-cup muffin tin for this fun way to serve lunch and b) Emmett isn't a fan of cheese and she's not a fan of peanut butter, so they actually eat different things for lunch):

Emmett was checking out her meal, but his wasn't too bad, either.

Lunch-time entertainment was "The Incredibles."

Overall, it was a pretty fabulous and relaxing rainy day.  As Philip put it, upon seeing the photos I e-mailed him, "They're living like rock-stars."  I'm pretty sure they'd agree.

1,000 Gifts:

109. Muffin-Tin Meals

110. Meals shared in an unconventional location.

111. Cheesy Potato Soup - the only meal with which my daughter never argues.

112. Trading cereal with my wishy-washy son.

113. Ten minutes of family time in a gas station parking lot as the rain patters the ceiling.

114. Copycat biscuits to appease the husband who is sick of the soup.

Taking Time for Play: Funny Faces

This may not have been taken today, but it is recent and it fits the theme, so we're just going to run with it.