Day 181.

The kids and I met one of my old roommates downtown for breakfast this morning at Yolk. Yum, that place is good and I recommend it if you live (or visit) in the Chicago area. Anyhow, this post is not about Yolk.

We took the metra up there, and then were going to take the bus home. So, after breakfast, we walked six blocks to the bus stop (mind you, the metra was 1 block from Yolk - but we would have had to wait another 45 minutes for a train). We waited 30 minutes, then watched the #6 go right past us (one street over) and not stop at our bus shelter - you see it is Taste of Chicago time, and I forgot the bus would be on it's alternate route. :(

We had to then walk the six blocks back to the Metra station - quickly - so we didn't miss the train we should have just waited for 45 minutes earlier. I didn't have a stroller. But, we made it. Why?

I am grateful to have a child who is willing to walk.

For the first four years of her life, Dylan has not been much of a walker. Why walk when there is a stroller there for me to sit in? Why walk when you could wear me in the sling? Why walk when you could carry me? But now, post-four-year-old birthday, she suddenly wants to walk more places. Granted, I still need the stroller as back-up for many of our long outings around the neighborhood. I'm just not willing to coax her back 1 mile from the library...not worth it. But most often, unless she's recently expended a large amount of energy, she's willing to start out walking. Thank goodness for her willingness this morning. Not only did we walk probably a total of 2.5 miles on this outing all together, little Noah was walking this too. And THAT consisted mostly of him running, then whining of fatigue, then me carrying him for a few blocks, then me setting him down and starting the cycle all over again. So, thanks, Dylan, for making my life easier and enjoying our city stroll. You rocked.