Dressing for the weather

It's cold and damp here. Not just outside, but inside, too. A few years ago, I joined "Crunchy Chicken's" "Freeze Your Buns Challenge,"and we turned our thermostat way down. There are a lot of kids and babies in this house, so we kept it above 60, but barely (it's set at 62, but that does not mean it's 62 degrees in here. This is an old, drafty house with almost no insulation.) So we have a big basket of slippers by the door in sizes tiny to giant, and after a while, guests realize that yes, indeed, they do want to borrow some. And we've learned to dress for the weather (well, those of us who don't work in 90 degree offices, that is).

To face the rainy chill yesterday, here's what Lucy had on. Yes, she wears a hat in the house; I dress all the babies in hats in the cold. And that sweater-y suit, which a friend got for a steal at an Iowa thrift shop. Under it, she's got a t-shirt and a long-sleeved t-shirt, wool shorties, her diaper, and socks under her slippers.

I used to worry about the reaction of the families in my early childhood program, or of our parents when they visit. But I've gotten grouchy in my old age. You're cold? Why on earth are you wearing a thin cotton shirt in November in New England? What's made us think this is normal? I had to learn about layering when I moved to Massachusetts. Now I've got it down, and I've become evangelical about it!

Now, I'm off to find my slippers. I forgot to put them on when we came back inside. Brrr!