Big thanks to our friends at Boogie Wipes for sponsoring this story and helping us keep our boogies at bay – no matter how old the babies get!
We crawled up the mountain with a long line of cars trailing behind us, but our pace could not be deterred: it was snowing and we were driving in it, towards the promise of a warm cabin with picture windows and snow-capped trees outside. That’s what I had signed up for, after all. Driving up a mountain during a snow storm was not exactly part of the plan.
My husband and I spoke in high pitched voices, trying not to freak out the kids, as the visibility continued to worsen. The little ones marveled at the changing landscape and, hoping to defrost some of the ice building up on the windshield, I told them stories of sandy, warm vacations we took before they were born. How on earth did we get in this situation???
Truth is, we aren’t snow people. I said this once out loud and a friend retorted as if casually offended, “Just because you guys don’t enjoy the snow doesn’t mean all Latinos or black people don’t.” Touché. But here we were, driving 10 mph up a mountain covered in thick clouds that continuously dumped solidified rain drops and I have never felt more out of place.
Luckily for my novice crew, we took preparations for this weekend adventure seriously. Asking all the snow friends I have, we learned that water-proof clothes make all the difference for happy kids. Daddy D bought snow chains and researched how to drive in inclement weather. And, like with all successful family adventures, a trip to Target got us stocked up on snacks and essentials – like these Boogie Wipes at Target that you can find in the baby section.
Have you used these wipes before? Possibly the only product that I’ve continued to buy long after the infant and toddler years, Boogie Wipes are made with natural saline to help dissolve mucus and clean up the snotty parts of your day. They’re extra soft and available in Great Grape, Fresh Scent and Simply Unscented. I keep them with me at all times, but they were extra helpful for this cold-weather vacation!
What normally takes two hours to drive took four, but we were elated to have finally made it up the snowy mountain safely. I congratulated my sweet husband on a job well done, having driven the entire way with focus and calm. After putting the car into park, we huddled up and recited our family victory chant (every family does this, right?), giving each other high fives for accomplishing our goal.
But as I opened the car door expecting an onslaught of weather to attack my senses, I was met with something else: snow. Peaceful, quiet and ever-so-tender, it was the first time I had ever experienced snow falling and it was not at all what I anticipated. It was beautiful and I was falling in love.
Is this what being a snow person feels like?
The cabin we rented with friends was beautiful. We made wonderful memories – building snowmen, sledding, getting into snow ball fights – it’s hard to admit how wrong my perspective was before this experience. I held onto a narrow-minded belief for years, but was happy to have been proven otherwise. So after all the stress of planning and driving up a storming mountain, I had to smile when Alina said to me, “See Mama, we are snow people! We can be snow people, too!”
Little did she know that water-proof gear, Boogie Wipes to soothe their messy noses with moisturizing aloe and hours of preparation to ensure our safety went into this first family snow vacation, but I guess it doesn’t matter. The beauty captivated her the same way that it did me. We were becoming something I never considered a possibility…
I’m raising my babies to believe that they can be anyone they want to be – to self-identify in ways that make them feel most complete – and on that weekend, my family pushed the boundaries.
It sounds silly, but without any experience or knowledge and a real fear of the risks, I’m proud of D and I for taking on something new. We made the conscience effort to expose our babies to things we have never experienced, even if it meant being afraid of the unknown. It was far outside our identities and yet, we took it on… successfully.
We became snow people!
No Comments