the wonder of wonder

It struck me recently that as soon as you give birth to your baby you also give birth to a whole new set of neurosis - the latter being harder to shake than the excess baby weight it would appear.

With the cold weather, my latest 'oh-my-god-am-I-wrecking-my-child's-life?' wrangle is about how much we're staying indoors. I didn't realise how few options there are for a toddler who's just learned to walk in the freezing fog and snow and well, winter.

Today I'd made lots of plans for getting him out of the house, great sweeping plans involving driving in the snow to a place I'd never been before to give him an unforgettable day out so that he could feel fulfilled and happy and full of life.

As fresh snow started to fall, I realised that at 19 months, he is full of life whether he's driving his train (toot toot) along his wooden rail track or playing the game of trying to avoid getting his socks on.

That's all he knows how to be.

So we went into the garden and Arlo practiced walking in snow (for the first time) in his wellies (for the first time) and he marvelled at the snow falling and he loved making footprints and after the initial shock of how it felt, he loved holding it and he even tried a little taste.

It's the magic in the every day I need to concentrate on, the little things in life that make us all happy, even if we think we want something more.

After this we went upstairs and had hot chocolate. Arlo's first ever. He thought that was pretty magical too.