Letter to my children: February adieu

Dearest ones,

I cannot tell you with what joy I am contemplating the end of February this year. The second month has always been a bit of a drag for me - but this year it has been incredibly so.

It has been snowing and cold and not at all happy making to go outside. Horse back lessons were canceled at the beginning of the month because the highs were in the single digits. There have been snow days and slushy days and icy days… but suddenly last week the melting began (to the detriment of the road).

The melting galvanized me to prune the fruit trees and the grapes. Dragon, you would help for 3 minutes pruning, then helping me to pick up the cut suckers, then you would roll around in the snow. Bean, you came home last week and were super upset that you took off all your outside clothing but everyone was outside - thank goodness, you have been very happy with your latest coloring book of mandalas and new markers (new markers in February are a must for everyone methinks).

We also had a few sunny days last week which meant the temperature inside the greenhouse reached 88 degrees (not kidding). I reveled in the warmth, harvesting goodies and kept thinking that it would be a wonderful place to sit with a lawnchair and a good book (perhaps in a few years we can all do that).

I miss being with the world during this Covid time. The world is receiving vaccines, but it is still unclear the transmission rates, so social distancing and masked we go. Your momma would like to go out to dinner, to breakfast, to the library, to the coffee shop, to look around people in public and not just see eyes and ears. This is not the time for playgrounds anyway… but it would be nice to run around the indoor playspace with the Dragon.

Bean, your life is fairly consistent during this upheaval time given the pod and the schedule of such. Dragon, you and I head out Monday mornings for hot chocolate and to refill books at the library - thankfully you are okay to stay in the car while I run in and exchange (shoutout to Pippi Longstocking as a book that I never imagined would be so short given its outstanding reputation*). The coffee shop has had all of the tables removed and it is a very clear grab and go vibe - but at least we are not in our house and there are other people about.

One thing that has jelled this month is piano lessons - which I am so thrilled about. Bean, you started in mid January so excited and thrilled to be doing something that so many of your friends - but that began to wear off about two weeks ago. It is understandable, the notes are no longer labeled on the staff and there are rhythms that are being clapped out with Momma as we practice. So we slowed down the rate at which new pieces would need to be played for Miss Betsy and I started making more of a consistent effort to practice and sing songs with you on the piano when your practice time is finished. I have forgotten a lot of what I knew about the piano, but not so much that simple songs are beyond me… so we sing Yankee Doodle again and again and again and again and again.

and again.

Dragon, you wander in and around the piano as this is happening and sometimes join us as we sing - or you shoot us with a hanger or a lego, or stuff Owley into a bag, or dance around the room kicking your legs in front of you. And I think to myself, how can I ever want this month to end?

Love love love to you both so so much. Thank you for being patient with Momma as her cranky monster is more awake during this month and patient as she stretches herself out of it.

*I take a moment to look them up and realize there are more of them, hooray!