Not entirely arctic, it turns out

Today it is cold. It's Chicago cold. There's the coldness (1 degree, according to the news this morning) and then there's the windiness. Weather.com is reporting the winds now as 19mph, but I think it was a little worse this morning. It's definitely gusting somewhat harder than that at times.

I got Gaz bundled up for school--way more bundled than she likes. I explained that it's horribly cold and that this was the reason for the multiple pairs of pants and socks and the reason for the horrible itchy wool scarf that mom crocheted being put to use. All was well as we made our way down our street. There's plenty of snow for Gaz to stomp in and kick around, and this is always fun. Yesterday on our way home from school Gaz threw herself onto the sidewalk to make a sudden snow angel, much to the amusement of the lady walking just behind us down the sidewalk. Snow is our friend and so much fun to play in that I have to remind her constantly to keep walking.

Then we turn the corner.

Within seconds of being face-first into the driving wind (most of our walk is due west, right into the wind) she is hysterical. No matter how I try to explain that crying just makes her face colder, she says she can't help herself. She wails all the way to school, but at least I don't have to remind her to keep walking very often. A lady who is walking her son to school gives me this horrified look and asks me what's wrong. I explain for the first of many times this morning that this is the first time she's had to walk to school in the horrible cold and then spend the rest of the time waiting for the traffic light to change trying to cuddle my distraught girl.

We get to school and she has mostly stopped crying, but she refuses to look at any of the teachers because she doesn't want anyone to see her crying. Eventually I get her stripped of her outer layers--not the extra pants, though; she wanted to keep those on--and carry her to the bathroom. She's so upset by the cold that she clings to me for another five minutes (while ignoring her best friend, who came by expressing concern) before I talk her into a potty break and she manages to calm herself down the rest of the way. I explain what a ski mask is, and she says she would like one.

Now I've been to the thrift store where there were no ski masks, but I did find a nice soft purple scarf that at least won't be scratchy. I did find a ski mask, black of course, in a nearby shop, but I forgot my cash when I left the house. What are the odds of finding such a thing in pink and covered with flowers?

At least on the way home we'll have the wind at our backs. My poor not-quite-arctic child. She'll get used to it, but it's not going to be easy on either of us.

(Edited to add: I did find a floral polar fleece balaclava thing on Amazon, and it's now on it's way to us. I hope the new scarf will do the job until it gets here.)