A little sunlight.

I may have mentioned the lack of light in most of our house. I'm pretty sure that, as a result, perhaps as many as 75% of our winter photographs are taken in my bedroom, on my bed. Best light in the house. Even on days when the light is harsh, you just kind of chase it around, hoping you can get it to aim right into a pair of "coffee eyes," as Alla says. Winter memories are made here. Our first year in Minnesota, Alla still in diapers, still napping on my bed. We'd sometimes spend the rest of the afternoon there, sometimes still in jammies, sometimes making videos of new songs she'd learned: Twinkle and ABC Song with sign language.

Last year, she was napping in her big girl bed while we waited for Pondegore to arrive. She napped and I napped, trying to position myself on the bed so that as much of my body as possible could be warmed by the sun. And then, when she woke, spending the rest of the afternoon there.

We still sometimes spend the rest of the afternoon there. Or, at least until you can no longer contain a ten-month-old on a bed.
Oh, and sometimes we call him Bozo, because, really, look at that hair.