Following In Her Footsteps

I love to go for walks with my family. There is something so relaxing--so therapeutic--about strolling through the neighborhood in the cool of a Colorado evening.
Christa loves to go on walks, too, because our course usually leads to the nearby playground. However, even with the promise of swings and slides and merry-go-rounds, Christa is not the most focused walker. She meanders here and there, climbing on rocks, picking dandelion bouquets , running ahead and then turning around and running full-tilt back to me.
The other day, she decided to walk right in front of me, taking little one-two-three baby steps. I stumbled for a step or two, shortening my stride to avoid running over her.
Those few moments reminded me of how my life changed since Christa's birth. Being a Mommy-Come-Lately threw my life off-kilter. I slowed down in some areas of my life, and completely stopped other interests. Christa's arrival required change because my life now involves another person with distinct needs.
If I refuse to slow my steps to match my four-year-old's pace, think of all I would miss. Christa gives me a reason to head to the playground, indulge in a McDonald's Happy Meal, color in or outside the lines, and browse the children's section of the library. This may be my fourth trip on the mothering merry-go-round, but it's Christa's one and only childhood. She should have the chance to determine the rhythm of our days.

For another article on life with a caboose baby, read Change of Pace on my Web site at www.thewritingroad.com