A Child's Logic

Yesterday (and today) Chicago was in the single digits with wind chills dropping us 15-30 degrees below zero.  Bumble and I stayed home most of the day, but we had to venture out in the early evening to pick Yaya up from drama club.  As we were getting ready to go, she asked if she could bring Pinky Bear with her.  I agreed that would be okay.  Then she asked to bring her baby with her, too.  I told her she should leave the baby home because she would be too cold.  I was trying to keep us as unencumbered and nimble as possible to minimize our time in the freezing and then some weather.  Her response, however, was "I get hat?"  Of course, a hat would keep her warm!  I couldn't resist her logic, so I let her bring the baby, too.  And not only did the baby get a hat, but Pinky got one, too.

When we picked Yaya up, I got another taste of children's winter logic.  She had been picked up by a friend, and I was picking her up from there.  When the front door opened, I saw her standing there in a light jacket with her backpack already on.  "Where is your coat?"  "It's in my backpack."  "Why?" I asked dumbfounded.  "Because I wore this jacket to drama club."  As if that were explanation enough and I should certainly understand...  I think this child may grow up to be a member of the Polar Bear Club and go "swimming" in Lake Michigan in the winter!

Bubbles in Winter

"Bumble, do you want to put on your snowsuit and play in the snow while we wait for Yaya's bus?"

"Yes. Bubbles?"

"What? Bubbles in winter? But we can't play with bubbles because of our mittens. Let's make snowballs, instead," I offered as we headed downstairs. As we passed the mailboxes and I opened the front door, I heard, "Bubbles."

"Really? Why don't we play in the snow?"

"No! Bubbles."

"Okay, but I'll blow them and you catch," I said while pulling off my mittens and grabbing the bubble supplies from the top of the mailbox where I had left them as summer waned. I knew I should have put them away for the season...

So, we got to the bottom of the steps, and I opened the bubbles to pour a little in the cap. So far, so good. I dipped in the pink blow fish and blew the first bubbles at her. They popped on her mittens and stuck to her coat briefly before popping there, too. Wow! You can blow bubbles when it's below freezing. Who knew? Then, she asked, "I bubbles?" to which I replied, "You can't take your mittens off because your hands will be too cold like mine." Her response was "I try." So, I dipped the blow fish in the bubbles for her and put it between her mittened hands. As I suspected it was not very successful. I took it back, and blew but nothing happened. Then I noticed that the bubbles had frozen across the fish's nose (the wand). So, I learned today that toddlers like bubbles no matter what the weather, and the key to blowing bubbles in freezing weather is to be quick!