Today is a better day...

I'm sitting here on a dark and gloomy Friday watching darling Ava put stickers all over my hands and computer. We're supposed to have alot of rain this weekend. The news will have "Stormwatch 2010!" on all the stations and the streets will be all but shut down. I believe that it is supposed to be 1/2 an inch over about 36 hours. Seriously...that's ALOT of rain for us!!!


So what does a typical Southern Californian do when faced with the "torrential" downpour that is predicted for this weekend? We batten down the hatches, stay inside, and endlessly complain about the weather. We stock-up on groceries to ride out the next 36 hours and hope that our food rations last. We gas up the car and have it ready in case we have to flee to higher ground. 


We look at the forecasts once a month and just assume that the weather will stay the same. Even if we happen to catch the weather report, we never believe what we see if it's anything other than "sunny and breezy". But the worst part of the rain for me is that I just had a REALLY good car wash a few days ago and it is destined to be ruined by the horrifying rain.


So Ava and I sit...and wait. It's too cold to go out. I think it's 67 degrees. We might have to put on a sweater... and that's just not something we do here. My motto is and always has been "76 is too hot and 74 is too cold!"


Last year, we weren't so blessed. We spent the winter back east trying to find Ava better medical care and we encountered the WORST winter in over 100 years. It was 12 degrees for almost 5 months. We didn't see the sun for almost 6 months. We didn't touch grass or play at a park for months on end. It was rough...not only on me, but on the girls.


Zoe took to the snow and cold pretty well. She refused to wear a jacket until it got below 20 degrees, and then it was like pulling teeth to get it on her.


Ava, on the other hand, is a California girl through and through. At one point, I had to run to the store to get food for Ava's formula. There was a little snow on the ground and it was COLD! Sub-zero when you factored in the windchill. And the wind was strong. We get to the store and I climb in the backseat and get jackets on both of the girls. 


"OK Zoe, when I open the car door, I need you to MOVE...it's REALLY cold!" I say in my most assertive Mommy voice.


Ava is so bundled she can barely move. I'm already freezing (because really, I'm a wimp). I climb back into the driver's seat, grab and pull Ava to the front with me, turn off the engine, remind Zoe to MOVE quickly, jump out of the car, close my door, open Zoe's door, and.....


Zoe's slowly dancing to the door singing, "Look how fast I'm moving Mommy!"


At that very moment, a massive wind hits me and Ava in the face (OK, maybe not massive, but it felt like ice picks stabbing my face) and my 17 month old child, who doesn't talk yet, starts repeating "No, no, no, no, no ,no!" like a yogi in the middle of a mantra.


Zoe, in the meantime, is still thinking she's hilarious. "MOVE IT!!!!!" I scream at her. She looks at me, sees that I'm about to boil over and manages to get herself out of the car.


5 months!! 5 months of that kind of cold. I've NEVER felt those temperatures in my life. We occasionally get a frigid day in the mid-50s around her...but HOLY COW!


So even though we are facing "Stormwatch 2010" this weekend, I try to remind myself of last year. I try to remember that it is only 36 hours and not 5 months. I am grateful to be back home and grateful to be able to go outside 360+ days a year.


Overall, things are going better than my last post...Ava hasn't vomited again, I'm feeling a little more grounded, Zoe' cough seems to be easing up, and we're looking forward to the holidays and enjoying some family time.


I just hope that I don't start getting depressed from the 36 hours without sun...it really does take its toll! 


Enjoy the pictures!

Ava...just because it's a cute picture...she was about 18 months old

Zoe thought the snow was pretty cool.

I have a million shots of Ava looking just like this! She HATED the cold and snow. She would go berserk when she would see me get the snow pants out.

Zoe back east at the zoo (last year)