The Great Blizzard of 2020

 [a.k.a That Time Debbie Suddenly Was Grateful That Sugarplum Wasn't Cooperating With the Just Getting-Her-Little-Self-Out-Here-IMMEDIATELY Plan]

Until this past weekend, I'd been feeling really relaxed about Sugarplum taking her time joining us on the Outside. Christmas is coming. I have lots to keep me busy. But then, my brain broke (or something like that).  Twenty-four hour days suddenly have room for what feels like three hundred seventy-eight hours. I'm ready to be done waiting, wondering what will happen, dreading the pain of getting her from in to out. And simultaneously I've had a sinking feeling that she's terribly comfy and snug and has no plans to exit anytime soon. (It doesn't help that Tadhg's typical response when I ask him when he thinks the baby will come is a thoughtful, "Mmmm....six months.")

I knew there was supposed to be a snowstorm last night. Seven to twelve inches or something paltry like that--not enough to keep me from wanting to go into labor anyway. C'mon now. We have snow tires.

But then we woke up at 5 AM to bedroom windows that looked like this (you can't see it clearly, but the whole lower half of the window is obscured by snow on the roof): 

And kitchen doors that showed me this: 

And after dawn, a world that looked like this: 

(That lovely little slope in the photo below? That's our ride to the hospital.)

Due date a day away or not, it's amazing how nearly three feet of snow can change an expectant mother's perspective.

When our boys woke up, they were a bit flabbergasted. Tadhg immediately had Plans. Pippin was sober and a bit distrustful of all that white stuff.

They peered tried to peer out all the windows.

After breakfast, all my manly men ventured outside.

After some initial exploration of the barren wilderness, the real work began.

Rundy is such a good daddy. He works with them. He plays with them. Then he brings them in and makes snow ice cream with them. Tadhg knows he has a good thing and put it simply when Rundy stepped outside. "I love my dada." 

Snow ice cream was enjoyed by all, then free entertainment arrived in the form of our Snowplow Elf neighbor with his trusty tractor. He plowed us out as the boys watched, agape (but not so agape that they couldn't multitask and keep eating ice cream). 

So really, now that our driveway is plowed and our van is no longer a lovely, gently sloping hill of snow and a Crazy Person has driven by in a normal car to prove that our roads are, after a fashion, driveable... I'm starting to feel antsy again. 

C'mon, baby. We're all ready for you, Sugarplum.