Holding Onto the Warm Fuzzies
It's cold. Very cold. I'm not whining . . . actually, I am whining. It's MARCH, for flaggle's sake. This thing where it was blustery with temps in teens and a windchill below zero is simply not acceptable. It's totally reasonable to expect 30's and 40's in March in Pittsburgh.
I am reasonable.
I'm also stubborn.
I made up my mind a few days ago that I was done wearing a winter coat. I'll wear 63 layers of sweaters and t-shirts, but my winter coat? Can just hang out in the back seat of my car. If I break down or something, I'll consider caving to the downy goodness, but short of an emergency? FORGET IT. It's March, dangnabit, and I am determined to act like it.
That is how I managed to find myself huddled by my car, shivering as I pumped gas into my very empty tank. I had on a sweater, a t-shirt, and an undershirt, but none of that was doing much of anything for my hands. My very cold, stiff hands. Because the universe loves to smack me around when I'm being stubborn, the gas station I was at didn't have those fun little latches that allow you to hide in your car while the tank fills. Nope, it was a You Stand Here and Feel the Freeze, You Dummy sort of pump.
I pondered how long it would take for frostbite to set in as I switched from holding the handle with one hand to the other. And back again. I thought about the fact that there were gloves sitting just a few feet away in my car. I glanced at the long line of cars waiting for a gas pump, surely driven by people who would not be amused if I stopped pumping gas to get gloves. I debated whether I would rather die from an infection when I had to have my frostbitten fingers amputated, or from a pissed off driver running me over with their out-of-gas car.
Then I looked up and a little someone caught my eye.
As I peered through the back window of the car, Alexis peered back at me. She had turned her head as far as she could and was intently watching me over her shoulder. As our eyes locked, she grinned the biggest grin you have ever seen. As I automatically grinned back, she quickly lifted her left hand and flashed "I love you" to me in sign language.
Who needs a coat and gloves when you've got a kid to make you feel all warm and fuzzy?
Monday, March 2, 2009
Reader Comments (30)
Oh my gosh, that is sooo sweet! :)
AH, too cute! What a way to warm up!
Cute but ah, you may wish to rethink this 'cause if you don't wear a coat in the cold,soon SHE won't wear one and she's not a teen yet.
Oh, and get some gloves, they're really cheap every where right now.
Yes, I'm a Mom...and a slightly bossy one tonight too after rereading this. Sorry about that. I'll go get some wine, that'll help :)
Awwww. I got the warm fuzzies too!! Only because you described to so well that it flashed my own memories of my young toddler boys doing the same thing. It's nice to know that mental picture isn't lost. Thanks for bringing it back.
*melt* (which really, given the temperature today, really says something. heh)
that's the cutest thing i've ever heard! oh my goodness :o)
i also refuse to wear a winter jacket after february. i hate coats in general, so as soon as i can kiss the stereotypical winter months goodbye, i swear it off for good. hang in there, global warming is coming to our rescue.
First, awwww!
Second, put a damn coat on, woman!!! It's ass-freezing cold out and the laws of physics always apply - you will only choose the broken pump handle when it means freezing to death . . . or melting in summer, of course.
That is just terribly sweet!
AWE! Wow... the end of this post tugged my heart strings...
As for the beginning of it, it rests heavy on my guilty conscience as it was 60 degrees today.
You outstubborn me, and that's saying something. You know, if you decide to wear that winter coat because you absolutely lurve it and will never, ever take it off again, Mother Nature will decide it's time to warm up just to hack you. It's all about strategy and outthinking the opponent.
Oh, maybe not the best photo choice today. You don't talk about leaving your frozen fingers at the pump and show bare skin. I'm cold FOR her.
Well that is just sweet.
And I'm with you. Bring on the Spring. I haven't worn my coat all season I'm so in denial.
You follow the seasons by looking at the calendar? It's March so you're supposed to be warm now? Ha Ha Ha. mother nature is a fickle creature who can't read calendars. She warms up when she's ready. I wear my puffy winter jacket right up until I find myself sweating in it after I've walked to work. Then I switch to a lighter jacket. When that one makes me sweat, I'll leave off wearing them. I shiver for nobody.
Mother Nature is a b*tch, isn't she?
I, too, abandoned the winter coat out of principle and yesterday seemed to forget everything I needed and had to take 4 trips between the house and car. In the meantime, my hair FROZE SOLID. I was pretty sure I had completely dried it but nope, just a little wet became ICE.
Oh, and soooooooo cute!!! :)
Need a babysitter? Ha!
Oh, you are SO my husband. He, too, has now launched his protest against the winter coat despite the fact that it is still FUH-REEZING in Michigan. Then he tries to suffocate me by turning the heat in the car to 110 degrees!
Your little girl is beyond sweet. Despite what I've said above, obviously no coat is needed with that amount of love.
Oh my god...that is unbelievably sweet! What a cutie.
It's good to feel all warm and fuzzy inside...now go put on a coat!
I would pay for that kind of warm fuzzy! But, considering it has been known to SNOW in April in this loony town, GET A COAT ON! Winter wins.
She is so sweet. Great picture too :)
I love this post. I love all your posts, but this one is especially adorable. PS> I hate winter too!
Aaawww...that does help. But, I'd keep the gloves. Heck, it was 33 this morning and I wore mine!
That is awesome (the melt moment), however, have you not met March? March is not Spring, not in Pittsburgh. "The Blizzard of (insert years here)" always happen in March! Heck, even April is still blustery. Put that coat back on fergoshsakes!
Oh that girl is just to sweet! : ) What a darling story. (well except for the potential for frost bite part of course...)
You crack me up! I live in a MUCH more temperate area than you... and I wear my winter coat 9 months of the year! And my scarf too.
You stubborn? No, seriously? (chuckles). Alexis just melts my heart. That little girl is the sweetest child. (Hugs)Indigo
I hear ya! I'm so DONE with this cold weather. I'm tired of coats too.
Sometimes kids are angels, aren't they!
too too sweet. those are special moments.
No coat or gloves for me, either. I'm in Wisconsin, where it's been below zero or close to zero much of this winter, but I refuse to wear a winter jacket or gloves. I simply hate them. I carry them to the car and back, but never wear them, which horrifies my coworkers to no end, haha.
I'm glad you didn't get your gloves in the midst of pumping gas. You've read about how the static electricity can cause a fire at the pump, right?
The weather us supposed to warm up around here thank goodness! I love those moments when Courtney says I love you with that cute little voice. It reminds me of why I wanted to become a mom in the first place.