Whew..

Nothing like coming back to work for a "break". Wow that was a whirlwind few days..but a total blast. Good thing this comes once a year.

We have flattened boxes, cleaned up the paper and bows and now we clean up the rest of the Christmas cookies.

The weather here has been mild which is both good and bad. The kids can get outside for a bit not totally bundled up. We were able to play with some of the loot outside too like the T-ball set and the scooters (self propelled). Both Marches took to the scooters well but Little March had a massive slow motion crash yesterday. I have NO idea how she did it..but it was in slow motion for sure. Little wheel, small pot hole..you get the idea. A little later she strapped on some roller blades and, even though learning, she is good about "please let go" and "let me try". After 15-20 minutes she was coasting down a neighbors driveway (~4 feet?). Littlest March and I went in for a bathroom break but he decided to stay in..when i was called outside again to "see what I can do!".

I go out..and little march goes up the hill. Now about 6 feet up this hill. She is all giddy telling me how good she is getting..WATCH DAD!

She puts her hands on her knees..coasts 3 of the 6 feet and then...

P-A-N-I-C

The arms flail..
The knees buckle...
the roller blades start to thump and slap the pavement in rapid sucession.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH

The bottom of the hill arrives..little march is now "sitting in thin air" and down she comes...in a puddle no less.

It is her first fall..and the pads clack and grind..but there is no butt pad.

She lets me, the birds and the people on the street know...she had wiped out.

I pick her up..dust her off but we have had enough.

After some tears and tossing out of the pants (she tore them) she settled down with some popcorn and hot chocolate..and then the words every parent hops to hear.

"I think I know what I did wrong..tomorrow when I try again I'll NOT do what I did".