IT’S ALL NEW

The trees are skinny with trunks as wide as my forearm. The winds whip down the open streets with full abandon whirling un-lawned dirt but -sidewalks beckon.
Subdivision, new subdivision life, may not be a natural paradise and shade is sought under a giant pergola from Costco, but it is a place where sidewalks sprawl. Neatly lined rows sometimes getting rebellious and curving into a court but still predicable and inviting.
REMEMBER THAT?
One of my favorite things about living in a subdivision is watching the mommies stroll their babies, safely on the sidewalks. I smile every time with nostalgia and in a particularly beautiful shared joy of what a fresh aired walk can do for any woman.
I see the mommies, sometimes in great need to get out of the house, settle a fussy, really fussy baby down. Hair in a messy bun, shirt dotted with baby you-know-whats and a pace that starts fervent but slows as the baby calms.
Remember that? How once we strapped even stuffed, fussy baby into the stroller. It felt like life or death to get outside and get moving. Be-them-may I’m wearing the same pants I awoke in – We need a walk!
Sometimes a beautiful day may mercifully coincided with nap time. A mommy with a tired smile parked on her face will move uniformly with the stroller to keep in sleepy rhythm.
Remember that? Nap time, how schedules revolved around them, admit it, they did! How much inner joy we’d feel to just stroll peacefully without playing the pick-the-toy-up-every-nine-feet-game. You just walked as one; stroller, mommy and baby.
I love being privileged to stride by and witness an adventure walk. The baby at the ready, sitting up taunt in the stroller, feet bopping about and hands reaching. With each pass of a dog the baby crooks her little neck to keep that interesting creature in view. Or if passing another strolling tot, a gleeful baby greeting of wiggling arms and legs ensues communicating joy to one another and anyone blessed to see.
Remember that? The walk where you were ready, fresh pants on, feeling rested for you noted getting three solid hours of sleep in a row. That walk, where you pointed out all the things in your neighborhood, like a fancy highlighter; “That’s a doggie” “Here’s our mailbox.” “Those are Mrs. Weston’s pink roses.”
LITTLES & BIGGIES
I love seeing the mommies stroll. I enjoy remembering that time, not too long ago really, when I looked to my sidewalk as: a highway of freedom, a path to calm, to stretch the body, teach my child, pray for strength and another night of a solid three.
Now, as I’m advised to cross my legs to sneeze, due to the privilege of strolling three littles, I can take my walks with my biggies pacing ourselves one foot in front of the other, next to each other, on the sidewalk.