The first snow of the season had transformed the backyard into a pristine blanket of white, the air crisp and filled with laughter. You stood bundled up in your favorite winter coat, your gloves dusted with snow as you shaped the base of the snowman. Joshua was nearby, crouched down, packing snow into the middle section, his cheeks red from the cold but his smile as bright as ever.

Raya, your four-year-old daughter, darted around excitedly, her tiny boots crunching in the snow as she collected small sticks for the snowman’s arms. Her giggles rang out as she carried them over in triumph, holding them up like treasure. “Look, Mommy! These are perfect!” she exclaimed, her nose slightly pink from the chilly air.

“They’re perfect, sweetheart,” you agreed, kneeling down to help her place one of the sticks into the snowman’s side. Joshua joined you, lifting the middle section onto the sturdy base with ease.

“Alright,” Joshua said, brushing snow off his gloves. “This snowman needs a head. Think you can help with that, Raya?”

Raya clapped her mitten-clad hands together, her excitement contagious. “Yes! Let’s make the best head ever!” She scooped up a handful of snow, packing it as best as her small hands could manage, while you and Joshua lent a hand to shape it into a proper sphere.

When the head was firmly in place atop the snowman, Raya took a step back, her eyes wide with wonder. “He needs a face!” she declared, rummaging in the bag you’d brought outside, which held a collection of buttons, a scarf, and a carrot.