Stacie Sherman

Today we set our own little record.

I love to go on walks with my girl. There is a walking/running/biking path right near our house. The length of our walks always depends on her mood.

There are days we make it out the front door to my car and that’s as far as we go. Bree will freak, confused because she thought we were going for a car ride not a walk.

Then there are days we make it just to the edge of the park, maybe five minutes from our house. She drags me past the playground to their bathroom and then right back home again.

Other days we stay longer at the park, either using the swings or slide while all the confused little kids step aside to make way for my big girl. Or we run into the open green field next to the playground. If she’s in a really good mood, we walk the path around the park before she leads me back home.

We have only had a few nice walking days so far this season. A few weeks ago, it was chilly but sunny out so we had an after-dinner walk. As we reached the point where we usually cross for the park, I stopped her. With my right hand I pointed to the playground and asked “swings?” And then with my left hand I pointed down the path and asked “ice cream?” Hahaha. Guess which way we walked.

We headed down the path and made it to the corner convenience store, where I let Bree pick out an ice cream as I got some coffee. I let her eat it in the store and then we headed back. The sun was starting to set and the temperature had dropped. We were bundled up tight but our hands were cold. She was such a trooper.

And then came this morning. We had been up since about 5 am. It was Sunday. She was antsy and so was I. Her babysitter was coming around 11 and once they were gone I was anxious to get to the gym..

And then a thought occurred to me. She was dressed in sweats, I was in my workout stuff. “Wanna go for a walk?” She jumped up. We got on our sneakers and headed out the door.

We had hats and sweatshirts on. But the sun was shining and the weather was perfect for walking. I took off our hats and tucked them in my pocket. I played her Taylor Swift on her iPad and we sang (I sang) and walked along the path. I felt the anxiety slip away.

Not a cry, not a frown from my girl the whole way there or back. She smiled and laughed. We turned our heads up toward the sun. She enjoyed the freedom. As did I. She barely let go of my hand. She would start to run and pull me along, and I would run with her.

We reached the playground crossing and I stopped her. “Swings?” I pointed? Or doughnuts,” I said, thinking of the ones at the convenience store. A smile lit up her face as we continued up the path.

But when I started to turn into the store parking lot, she pulled me the other way. I looked where she was pulling me. Down the street a bit was a Dunkin. My girl loves her Dunkin.

Pretty amazing she knew her directions. You just never know. Not that I would ever let her out of the house without me, but kinda amazing to know she knows her way around our neighborhood.

We made it to Dunkin and sat for a snack before we headed back for our 1+mile walk home. It was less sunny and even more perfect weather on the walk back. Her babysitter was waiting when we got home to whisk her away to horseback riding.

I realized later, I had enjoyed myself so much, I had not taken a single photo.

So here’s one from my babysitter.