Walking

A couple months ago I had all intentions of writing about a walk Sweets and I took when there were a few days of really great weather. However, life has been crazy, and now it's time to get going on updating a bit more.

 I've found my walks with Kailey are refreshing, invigorating and "light me up" so to speak. Sometimes I put the carrier on and go because she's fussy, doesn't want to be put down and I'm getting frustrated. Almost like I'm getting a re-do if we walk it off. But most times, I really want to be outside enjoying Rochester, the block we live on, and of course my time with Kailey. She's started humming right before she's about to fall asleep on our walks. It's pretty funny. When I was in my prenatal yoga class the teacher talked about how she om'd her son when he was upset in the backseat because she couldn't get to him while she was driving, and it helped to calm him down. I did some om'ing when I was pregnant with Kailey in the yoga classes I went to, so I thought I'd give it a try when I was in the shower one day....it worked. Maybe that's where she's getting the humming from, maybe she's just learning about her little voice (which I never get tired of). This particular day she was humming away and looking around (maybe the humming and then falling asleep is a more recent thing). I took my iPhone out at near the
beginning of the walk and put The Civil Wars on, shoved it in the sling so we could both listen and enjoy the walk. About five minutes in I realized I wasn't getting the benefits of being outside if I had music on. I turned it off. After the tunes stopped I realized all the things I'd been missing out on by having it on: Kailey's humming, the birds singing along with her, the sound of the breeze, the feel of the sunshine on my skin, and my still
 mind. What really stood out in my mind was the birds songs. I wouldn't have heard them with the iPhone playing. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy that blessing. I also started to notice other things. Kailey for one was looking off to our left the whole time. I was trying so hard to figure out what she could be looking at that was staying with us the whole time. About half way home I realized she'd been watching our shadows. What a clever little girl. Then a couple yards ahead of us were some fresh sidewalk drawings by the children who live in the house we were walking by. There were some in their driveway too. I thought about how fun it's going to be to draw on sidewalks with Kailey someday. I already draw on the driveways with the three kids down the street. They like to have me lay down so they can outline my body and then add my clothes and all that when I get up. They did a great Mr. Nick one day, only they made sure to add his mustache (I think they think that thing is funny, but I love when he has one!). 

I'm so glad I stopped, took a moment to think about what was going on and turned off the music. Sometimes the small things are huge when it comes down to it.