Time Stood Still

When Lola was a wee two months old, I started taking her on walks every single morning. She used to wake up at about 6:30 in the morning, so we would finish breakfast and be on our way at about 7:30. It started off as a morning pick me up of some sort, and Lola was in such awe of the tree branches and birds chirping by. So it became our morning ritual, if it's really really cold or rainy we stay snuggled inside in our jammies, but mostly everyday in Florida is a sunny one. It's such a major benefit for us both, I get much needed exercise and at the end of the two mile walk we end up back at home, and Lola is in stimulation overload so she actually gets a nap in to rest it all off. The past week I've noticed that our morning walks are starting to become so much more than just a daily routine to help start the day. As I was walking with Lola this morning I couldn't help but stare at her in her carriage. She is out growing it day by day. Soon I'm going to have to force myself to put her in the big girl section of the stroller and not be able to gaze at her after every few steps. As we kept walking I decided to go off the trail, there's a bunch of ponds surrounding the park trail that we always pass. The water is so very clear and there are hundreds of birds of all species. I stopped the stroller, grabbed Lola and plopped down with her in my lap. I picked a spot right next to one of the ponds and we just stared together and listened. We listened to the time that felt as if it stood still for that moment. All I needed was that moment of stillness. She's growing so quickly, and I want to hold onto these moments forever and I will. It's her that I'm going to have to let go at some point, but the moments last a lifetime. I know that as she grows and grows our walks may or may not become less frequent, but I know that I've cherished every single step of them and I will continue to.