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| Layer 1 (after the diaper): onesie |
I did bundling blogs for Anneka and Ella when they were babies, so it's only fair that Ike gets one, too. To be fair, I took these pictures a few weeks ago when it was -24 degrees. Now it's -40 (F and C meet at this point), so he'd need an extra layer all around, plus his face would be totally covered with a scarf... but you'll get the point!
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| Layers 2 and 3: tights and pants |
The poor guy was teething that day! I never thought I'd put a little boy in tights, but they are very warm and very practical. Ike, however, is not a big fan of the process of putting them on!
I took these pictures in backwards order, so he was sleeping when I brought him in from outside. I tried taking pictures in the other order on another day, and it was way too stressful, as he just wants to squirm and crawl away, and the girls are waiting (and sweating) all hot in their many layers!!
It's funny because the other day I got Ella all bundled and then Ike all bundled to go pick up Anneka from school, and I was talking myself through the process. I found myself saying outloud, "Yay, we just have your coat, hat, scarf, and gloves and then we're done!" When I thought about how ludicrous this was that I was ALMOST done and just had these things left, I laughed! Both kids were crying. When it's 83F/28C inside and you are so bundled, it's not a laughing matter. I usually open the balcony door wide during this process.
If we're going anywhere, we have to factor about 1.5 hours to get prepared. Of course, the getting dressed alone doesn't take this long, but other things happen. It's different each day WHAT it is, but it's always something. On one or two days I wrote down just a few of the things that took time to get out the door. Here are some of them:
* I put the garbage bag by the door to take out, and while I was getting Ella ready, Ike crawled over to it and knocked it over (all out on the floor).
* Ella loathes having her hat tied, but the babushkas yell at us if it's not tied. So I have to choose which I prefer for that day. When it's really cold, I have to tie it for safety of her skin/ears, and Ella screams! It took awhile to get it tied because she fought me.
* After getting all dressed, Ella took her gloves off. (and the fingers of the gloves have to be "just right"... this takes awhile)
* Ike's boots fell off several times (I finally sewed little straps onto his snowpants to keep them on).
* I gave Ella a yogurt to eat while I got Ike ready and she spilled it all over- the table, floor, and herself
* Ike needed a diaper change halfway through his layers.
* Some men came by to take some carpeting that we had on our balcony. They tracked mud through the apartment. Ella helped me clean up quickly, but she spilled water out of the bucket and got all wet.
* Ike ate part of a sponge that Ella had confiscated from the kitchen.
* Ike bit Ella.
* The neighbor cat ran inside and I had to chase her down.
* Once we were outside, Ella wanted to be in the stroller by herself and had very strong feelings when Ike rode with her.
Every day there's something! Life is never dull. Now that it's -40, I haven't taken the little ones out. Thankfully God has provided someone each day this week to be here when I need to go and pick up Anneka from school. Today I had Anneka so covered that You couldn't see even a centimeter of skin. She laughed and kept asking me where we were as she rode on the sled. I kept asking her if she could breathe (with the scarf over her face), and she kept yelling, "What?", as she couldn't hear over the noise of the sled and the hat and hood over her ears. We're making memories!
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| Layer 4: warm jammies with feet |
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| Layer 5: long sleeved shirt and another pair of pants |
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| Layer 6: warm vest |
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| Layers 7 and 8: bibbed snowpants and hoodie |
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| Layers 9 and 10: double layered coat with fleece liner, wool socks, and first hat. |
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| Layers 11: Second hat with wool lining, scarf, wool-lined boots, and wool socks over his hands ( I couldn't find his gloves, but these are warmer anyways. Sometimes I do two layers on his hands, depending on how long we'll be outside). |
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| Layer 12: Blanket and protection from the wind in the stroller (or strapped to me or Leif in the baby carrier... I like the second option because it keeps ME warmer!) |
It's funny because the other day I got Ella all bundled and then Ike all bundled to go pick up Anneka from school, and I was talking myself through the process. I found myself saying outloud, "Yay, we just have your coat, hat, scarf, and gloves and then we're done!" When I thought about how ludicrous this was that I was ALMOST done and just had these things left, I laughed! Both kids were crying. When it's 83F/28C inside and you are so bundled, it's not a laughing matter. I usually open the balcony door wide during this process.
If we're going anywhere, we have to factor about 1.5 hours to get prepared. Of course, the getting dressed alone doesn't take this long, but other things happen. It's different each day WHAT it is, but it's always something. On one or two days I wrote down just a few of the things that took time to get out the door. Here are some of them:
* I put the garbage bag by the door to take out, and while I was getting Ella ready, Ike crawled over to it and knocked it over (all out on the floor).
* Ella loathes having her hat tied, but the babushkas yell at us if it's not tied. So I have to choose which I prefer for that day. When it's really cold, I have to tie it for safety of her skin/ears, and Ella screams! It took awhile to get it tied because she fought me.
* After getting all dressed, Ella took her gloves off. (and the fingers of the gloves have to be "just right"... this takes awhile)
* Ike's boots fell off several times (I finally sewed little straps onto his snowpants to keep them on).
* I gave Ella a yogurt to eat while I got Ike ready and she spilled it all over- the table, floor, and herself
* Ike needed a diaper change halfway through his layers.
* Some men came by to take some carpeting that we had on our balcony. They tracked mud through the apartment. Ella helped me clean up quickly, but she spilled water out of the bucket and got all wet.
* Ike ate part of a sponge that Ella had confiscated from the kitchen.
* Ike bit Ella.
* The neighbor cat ran inside and I had to chase her down.
* Once we were outside, Ella wanted to be in the stroller by herself and had very strong feelings when Ike rode with her.
Every day there's something! Life is never dull. Now that it's -40, I haven't taken the little ones out. Thankfully God has provided someone each day this week to be here when I need to go and pick up Anneka from school. Today I had Anneka so covered that You couldn't see even a centimeter of skin. She laughed and kept asking me where we were as she rode on the sled. I kept asking her if she could breathe (with the scarf over her face), and she kept yelling, "What?", as she couldn't hear over the noise of the sled and the hat and hood over her ears. We're making memories!
6 comments:
I love it! Maybe just because my boys wore tights, too.
I think the posts where you bundle your babies are my favorite. :-)
oh my gosh jami, this post almost made me cry!!! I don't know why, sounds so hard and frustrating to live there in the winter. And puts me TO SHAME when i feel like i've had an emotional workout putting my kids snow clothes on!!! OMG, im ashamed :)
you ROCK!! with your attitude, love and dedication to living for Jesus in Russia!!
Wow- I'm surprised you are ever able to write me back!-Kim
And you wonder why I don't want to come visit in winter. However I'm a little sorry I'm not braver,because you could obviously use the help. May God continue to help, watch over and help you all as you do your daily things in the cold. Love and Hugs!
These posts amaze me! I read Gina's comment and laughed b/c I too have been grumbling over the snow clothes and that's only one extra layer. I can't imagine having to do all this! So glad you don't have to take the little ones out everyday in it!
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