Snow, mud, and a very green sled

My two and a half year old has had a fever accompanied by a bad head cold all weekend. This morning was no exception. But poor Lexi had been watching the snow fall and pile up for the past two days and was desperate to go outside. I consulted my husband, who told me that getting sick from the cold (especially if you are already sick) is a wives' tale. So I reported to Lexi that if her fever went away, she could go outside. About an hour later, I checked her temperature and voila! No fever. 

"MAMA!!!! I'M ALL BETTER! MY FEVER WENT AWAY!!! THAT MEANS I CAN GO OUTSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

yep.

So we did.  

Ten minutes later, Lexi was back in the house, stripping off her wet snow clothes and begging for hot chocolate. Honestly, I think it's really ALL about the hot chocolate. This girl knows how to play me. Go outside, get cold, cry that you're frozen and BAM! Inside with a steamy mug of hot chocolate. 

By noon, her fever was back, but her spirits very high. While I love to hear her singing and feeling a little better, at the same time I can't help but wonder....don't sick kids normally want to lay on the couch and watch movies all day? Because mine won't.

And here is some Chicago crazy for you. Last week, it was 60 F (which still has a bit of a nip to it in January). My sister and I ventured out on a walk with the girls. (Mostly we just wanted to get away from the dismal state of our basement...will it ever be finished??)

Lexi, running wild as usual, discovered how to make music by running alongside a metal fence with a stick. 

"MAMA!!!! I'M MAKING MUUUUUUUUUUUSIC!!!!!!!"

At our local park, there were lots of fun slush puddles to explore.

Drawing in the ice. Never misses a chance to create something new. Love that about her.

Lyla, catching a few rays in the stroller. Once this kid is walking for real (she prefers standing and then dropping into her speed crawl) there will be more amusing outdoor pictures of her. For now, she is forever stuck in the too small starfish snow suit. But she does have a personality. I promise.

When Lexi was exploring the outdoors for the first time as a baby, I resolved to let her do just that. Explore. Get dirty. Play and discover! Clothes can be washed. Skin can be cleaned. Childhood is for playing.

Turns out, this was probably the best decision I made in raising Lexi. She is completely obsessed with puddles and MUD. If I had a rule against it, she would break it anyway (if you know Lexi, you know what I'm talking about), so it's just better all around if I am laughing while she gets herself filthy. :-)

YES, you CAN play in the mud. :-)