A Day in the Life of: Cold Weather + Kids = DISASTER.

Yes they are cute in the coats and hats but NO it is definitely not worth it.  This momma is NOT excited about the change to cold weather because three small kids + cold weather = DISASTER.  Last week was our first day to get out all the coats.  By the time I loaded the car to get Easton to school, I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel for the day.  That is never a good sign at 9:00 in the morning.  My poor friend Kenna...by the time I made it to the mall to meet her for lunch, I was pretty much in complete meltdown mode.  She got an earful about the coat situation.  Thanks for letting me vent Kenna!  So let me just give you an idea of what it is like to go somewhere with the kids while trying to do the "coat thing." 

When it is time to load up, I have to make sure all three kids have coats, hats and gloves.  Now that doesn't sound that difficult but believe me it is.  There is most definitely some kind of meltdown that will be involved.  Emmy didn't want THAT coat, she wanted the other one and Easton didn't want that hat, he wanted the blue one...UGH!  By the time we get everyone's coats, hats, and gloves, and actually get to the car, the next dilemma starts.  We will call this the "HOW THE HECK AM I GOING TO STUFF MY KIDS INTO THEIR CAR SEATS WITH THEIR HUGE PUFFY COATS ON????" dilemma.  Now with Easton and Emmy I always put them in their carseats with their coats.  No it was not easy.  You have to yank the carseat straps out as far as they will go, stuff your kid into the carseat, yank their arms through the holes, and basically use all the strength you can muster to actually get the straps buckled.  That was hard enough but what I have to do with Cohen is even harder.  Apparently there is now some rule against putting your kids in their carseats WITH their coats on.  Maybe that rule was in place a few years ago but I didn't know so therefore it does NOT count and I am not a horrible mother for doing it.  So now since I do know, I have the new dilemma which we will call the "OH GREAT.  NOW I HAVE TO GET OUT IN THE FREAKING COLD, ICY, FRIGID WEATHER AND GET MY 8 MONTH OLD OUT OF HIS CAR SEAT AND STUFF HIM IN HIS JACKET, HAT, AND GLOVES EVERYTIME I GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR" dilemma.  I actually think I hate this one even more then the aforementioned dilemma. 

So here is what it actually looks like everytime I want to run into the grocery store, to Target, to the Post Office, to the Mall, etc...:

1.  Stop the car.  Get out.  Walk around to Emmy's side and undo her belt.  Tell her to get her coat and hat on.

2.  Emmy freaks out because she wants me to help her get her coat and hat on.  I tell her she is a big girl and she needs to do it herself.

3.  Close the door.  Walk around to Cohen's side while I am freezing my butt off.

4.  Take Cohen out of his straps.  Stuff him in his coat.  Put his hat on.  Set him back in his seat.  He starts freaking out.

5.  Walk around to Emmy's side because she is still freaking out and she needs my help putting her coat on.  Still freezing my butt off.  Get her coat and hat on.  Get her and Easton out of the car.

6.  Walk back around to Cohen's side and get him out of the car.

7.  Get all 3 kids around to the back of the car and get the stroller out.  Get 3 kids in the stroller (Side Note: usually there will be some type of argument about who gets to sit or stand where).

8.  Happily take my freezing self into whatever store we will be blessing our presence with at that time.

9.  Take all three kids coats, hats, and gloves off and wonder now where the heck I am going to store all that gear and still have room to put groceries.

10.  Remind myself that it is NOT worth it and I should just stay home until the Spring.

So there it is.  Cold Weather errand-running with kids.  Gotta love it.  I hope all my friends read this so they can understand why I might be running late for the next oh, FIVE or SIX months!