Just Look Up

Last post July 21…wow. I apologize for our absence from the blog world. I often wait to write until I feel a wave of inspiration hit me like a hurricane full of "ah-ha moments". With the combination of Lex Luther appearing, Troy traveling like a rock star the last couple of months throwing me into Teen Mom mode, and solo me trying to keep up with the rat race of running this house alone - I had my blinders on unable to write the tale-telling moments Lyla gives me each day.Easier said than done to listen to my own prior post preaching of setting the to-do list aside I guess.

But we did figure out a way to kick pesky Lex's behind. A daily walk. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the spider web of marathon nursing, no-hands pumping, piling dishes, 2-minute showers, explosive diaper laundry, therapy tummy time, floor cleaning for the tummy time so our therapist doesn’t think we’re slobs, speedy microwave cooking, needed online support groups, and thick baby books. All of it holds you down indoors so much that you forget to step outside and just get some fresh air. So I made a pact with myself to get into this gorgeous sea breeze once a day. Even if the tables were dusty, even if there were 20 emails waiting for me in my inbox…just get outside. Every day (minus the “There is no way I am choosing to exercise over getting a shower in” Days) I have been packing her up in the ridiculously expensive stroller we might as well get some use out of. And the Curious George wide-eyed looks up into the dangling trees tells me she just loves it. I'm pretty sure she has a fascination with leaves, it’s so funny to watch. My sister actually pointed this out to me when we were in a hidden-gem Buffalo park taking our family photos. Lyla really will just look up and stare at all of that green. Not able to get enough of the curly-q stems and the infinite branching limbs, holding these fascinating pieces of nature that make the calmest noise when the wind gives a little push. And there it was – the first time I was re-appreciating things on this earth through my baby’s eyes. This was something I was very much looking forward to when imagining raising a child. You teach them, they teach you.

We continue down the neighborhood walking route, gazing at the monstrous doctors’ houses along our stroll, smiling at the overly excited summer-break kids running around the neighborhood chasing each other with neon water guns. We pet the friendly doggies that pass us by, and admire the Boston skyline that peeks out from the sunny haze miles away over the water. It's a real treat to be out, and I often wonder once I'm out there why it was so hard to get out of the house in the first place.

Since deciding to take this daily refresher, we've had the pleasure of passing by a certain young man in his 20’s probably 75% of the time. Somehow we are always running into him! I would give a wave as he passes by on his bike ringing the charming bell you’d thought would be extinct, gladly detouring our stroller to the grass to let him stay on course on the safe sidewalk. Or we’ll excitingly yell “Hi!” as he proudly escorts his fluffy white dog over to show off while on a Tuesday afternoon stroll. I was having a “me time” lunch at Panera along the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Hingham Harbor, and there he was riding his bike back to the neighborhood we both call home! He consistently has a smile on and looks like each fresh day is his new favorite. See, this young man is in the Extra Chromosome Club with Lyla. His presence always blows me away, like a constant reminder from a higher power who says, “Look how independent he is. Look how brave he is. Look how happy he is.” I find myself now searching for him when we’re out for our adventures, waiting for the sounding bell from around the bend to give us a daily dose of confidence. Hopefully he doesn’t think we’re stalking him haha. My overly eager curiosity wants to ask him his name, where he’s coming from each day, if he works, where he lives, if I can meet his parents….but I don’t want to scare the kid! Instead I know his dog’s name is Bud, and we can take baby steps to hopefully make him a new neighborhood friend.

From the leaves, to the new faces that are passing by, Lyla was teaching another lesson. There’s a whole different world view if you just look up.