minnesota.

it takes about 5 times as long to get ready to go outside, as it does the amount of time we actually spend out there. sometimes longer if wren or annabelle decide to have a big poop right after i get all their snowclothes on. it may even take 10 times as long with luna, because she has a baby of her own who usually needs to get dressed. luna is very particular about what her baby should wear. i usually have to offer several items of doll clothes. my clothes, scraps of fabric, and wrens newborn clothes before she will exclaim, "yes! thats perfect! thank you, ara." and it seems as though as soon as i have one child completely dressed and ready to go then they take off their things while i am getting the next girl ready. wren and annabelle usually get strapped into a stroller or onto me, in which case they give some sad little howls until that first blast of crisp air hushes them.

i try to get out for a walk with a couple of the girls at least once a week. i think the fresh air is good for all of us, preventing some cabin fever. i am also amazed at my own ability to get all of us organized, bundled up, to wear wren(who is now around 20 pounds), push a stroller (sometimes 2-luna's baby bits or baby kate), and still manage to buy groceries at the market or treats at the bakery. and even though its cold, and takes so much encouraging and singing to get all of us back home in good spirits, i always have a sense of minnesotan pride knowing we went out and stomped around a bit in the snow.