The sun is shining, and after a morning filled with cleaning out little girl's dresser drawers and messy baby doll feedings and washing dishes and doing laundry…we decide it is time for a walk…some fresh air…and a big dose of  Vitamin D.
She pulls out the dolly stroller she received for her birthday, dresses Baby Alive (she's calling her Lucy, this week) and tucks her in, covering her with the love-y blankie that was intended for the new grand baby… and we're off…

We are walking at a snail's pace. We stop so she can adjust the canopy…so she can see baby… she pushes buggy with one hand, trying to hold my hand with the other.. it's too wobbly…buggy veers off and bumps the curb… we walk further and further, until I suggest we turn around. Noooo…she insists.

Finally, I must make an executive decision…turn around, we must.

She concedes.

"Awww, wook at dose pretty drawings!"  They are the spray painted markings of future construction, but she thinks someone was awfully clever.

She begins to grow weary of the walk, and she pushes with great effort…leaning forward and giving all she has….until she sees the arbor of ivy….and she's intrigued.  "Iss dis good for us? Iss it good for our nose?" (as she begins to sniff) I reply, "It's good for our eyes…to see something so beautiful."
Her curiosity compels us to stop and investigate. Her questions are thoughtful. Aren't growing things supposed to be good for us?  Yes, each growing thing, in its very own way, is good for us.

We press on.

The sunshine pours over her face as she slips the hood away from her head.
It feels so very good…and she hums.
And then she adds words to her little made-up tune.

Then she stops, in front of that white picket fence,  and declares she cannot push the buggy stroller one more step. "I'm soooo tired!" she exclaims.

I commence pushing, and she determines she can run all the way to the stop sign.
(Yes, just like that. Renewed energy.)

….and I follow...my 5'10" frame bent over, guiding the tiny buggy towards her.
Passers by, smiling and waving… They understand.

We look in all directions,  and I lift and cradle buggy, baby, and all..reach for her little hand, and we walk the last little bit to our home.
Once we reach the front gate, she takes over…making her way to the front porch …navigating through the sea of leaves collecting, there, and on into our "cozy widdle cottage."

We agree, baby is worn out from her walk and ready for nap time, so she wheels her to her "nursery" and puts her to bed.

I drop into the wicker rocker and recall….

When I was a young mommy, I remember reading a poem.  It described a grandmother walking with her grandchild….taking time to watch a bug crawl, or a caterpillar …can't remember which.  The gist of it was that grandmothers weren't in such a hurry. They had time, and they were patient…and they didn't mind stopping to notice all those seemingly insignificant things.

And now, my babies are all grown.  That time went by, too fast. I was in such a hurry ..always in a hurry.

So I walk with this little girl…and we stop and look at the ivy…and all it's veins and shades…and ponder if it's good for us… and I think, slow down just a little bit, Time.  And I pray for more patience to allow her to see all the things she needs to see.
Give me just a little bit longer for her to cling to my leg and reach for my hand, as we cross the street.

The bag is filled to the top, with clothes she can no longer wear. She cried as one favorite outfit after another was folded and placed inside. These were her friends, in her little mind.
But then she saw the outfits and dresses and nightgowns and hats and gloves that remained.
And she loved that there was order, once again.
We chose a drawer to place her most favorite little dresses, that neither of us had the heart to part with. And she felt glad to know the other favored things would be going to her two little girlie cousins.
She said goodbye to her sparkly shoes and the tiny dolly stroller, too….as she loves her brand new big dolly stroller.

Cold weather is on its way…and Christmas…and gatherings and busy-ness….but for today, it was wonderful to slow down a bit, and basque in the warmth of the sun.

Blessings,

Christie/Mommy/Grammy