The Long and Winding Road

I live in a very walkable neighborhood. There aren't sidewalks, but it is very residential and walker-friendly. On a typical walk we see people walking dogs, kids riding bikes, lazy cats lounging on lawns, and the occasional bunny or deer.

When I was pregnant with LP, the Hoos and I would go on walks almost every night. It was good exercise and there were good opportunities to shorten the route as I got further along and had to admit that I could no longer handle the two-mile loop of "The Long Walk". I also took on the Long Walk almost daily with LP when I was on maternity leave with her in an effort to get out of the house without taking her anywhere enclosed and lose some baby weight.

During maternity leave with AK, my Long Walks became less frequent. Not because I couldn't physically handle them, but more as a matter of timing. I liked to pick LP up from day care around 3 and I didn't really like having AK out in the sun between 10 and 2. And once I picked up LP it was impossible to go for a walk. I did put AK in the Bjorn and push LP in the stroller a few times and walk Around the Block, and while it was exhausting, I don't think it really qualified as exercise.

More recently I tried to put AK in the backpack (she has long since outgrow the Bjorn) and push LP on her tricycle or in a stroller. It was impossible to go any further than Around the Block since AK was and continues to be a world-class hair puller. OUCH! In the last couple of months LP has become more adept at riding her tricycle, so we have also been able to circle the Block verrrry slowly with LP providing her own gas.

Yesterday, for the first time, I took both LP and AK on the Short Walk* alone (that is, without the Hoos pushing a second stroller), thanks to our friends lending us their Sit and Stand (thanks M Family!). I was able to enjoy the 85 degree heat and the steep incline at the end of the walk while pushing 55 pounds of kids in a 35 pound stroller.

After going up the steep incline with LP blowing bubbles in my face from the comfortable backward facing jumpseat, I received a request to keep going. Just one more reason my kids will be the death of me. Or maybe this is their passive aggressive way of recommending I work on reducing my tush jiggle.

Despite my grousing here, we will definitely make use of the Sit and Stand this summer. It was nice to be outside with the girls, in the beautiful weather, without chasing them in opposite directions or worrying about the time. And, natch, my tush could stand to be smaller.

* The Short Walk is shorter than the two mile Long Walk, but longer than Around the Block.