There was a tad bit of parenting debate that went into this. Are they really ready? Will it bring tears or laughter? Are we being smart and challenging our able bodied girls or are we kidding ourselves that we are ready for this level of reentry into the world in which we once lived?
In the end we decided that, at $35 a piece, it was worth a shot.
Ella was over the moon. She opened them and dove at us for hugs shouting, "SNOWSHOES!!! I've always wanted them!! This is better than anything American Doll!"
Maya was like what are these giant shoes for? Have my parents taken my height into account here?
Ella promptly marched to the door to put on her snow pants. Maya looked longingly at the gifts still under the tree, shrugged and followed her sister.
Maya thought the initial trekking was all exciting. So she decided to go in the deep snow around the back of the garage until she needed rescue from Tia.
Then, of course, the fun became all about falling into the deeply piled snow.
A white Christmas. It was sparkly and magical and downright stunning.
Then, because we only know how to live by constantly pushing the envelope, we decided to go up to Tia and Uncle Brock's land (a quarter of a mile up the road) to hit the woods. But first I had to blow a thick layer of dust off of our snowshoes from their child-induced hiatus.
We were actually in the woods, all four of us up on our feet, going of our own steam, no mom with a child on her back, no one crying. At least for a solid 10 minutes.
Maya thought is was way more fun to be in the snow than atop it.
This meant that she constantly fell behind Ella which angered her in grand fashion. Soon she was yelling and screaming in the previously peaceful wood: "I AM THE LEADER!!! I WANT TO BE IN FRONT!!" as part of the same competitive thread we've seen from her of late. ("I slept the longest. I peed the longest. I ate the most carrots. I got here before Ella. I did a headstand and Ella can't. And on and on and on.) Soon our idyllic woods walk had unraveled into snot and tears from both children (Ella was devastated that we had to turn around) and we were left shaking our heads and questioning the moment in the store when we had agreed on our boldness and put the snowshoes in the cart.
We got out of the woods and left the girls consoling each other on a snowbank and wailing over what awful parents we are. We decided not to let them get us down and began sledding down the slopped driveway. After a few minutes of us hooting and laughing, they couldn't help themselves and had to join in. Although Maya did point her finger at me and say, "You cannot go first this time. I am going first." Ey yi yi.
Embracing the get-back-on-the-horse mentality, we did attempt another snowshoe this weekend with great success. The kids did stop to "rest" about 50 yards in making me nervous for our fate but then we made a game of them tracking us through our footprints which they thought was awesome. By the time we finished the 12 minute loop, Maya was whining about how hard it was (whilst walking in the deepest snow and not in the cut trail before her) but we got her back for sledding before she could dissolve.
So the snowshoe verdict? A hard-won success.
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