The heron

This morning the girls (the little girls…as in, Laney and Anna) and I took our daily walk after we dropped off Ethan, Mathew and Megan at school. Well actually, if I’m being honest, there isn’t a whole lot of “dropping off” happening. It’s more like me yelling down the street…"WAIT!”

“LOOK FOR CARS!”

“STAY WITH YOUR SISTER!”

“I LOVE YOU BE GOOD HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE DON’T KICK ANYBODY PLEASE EAT YOUR LUNCH!”

Once I am satisfied that they have successfully entered those doors without being snatched by a sweaty middle-aged man in a non-descript sedan…I push my double stroller due east and we head for the Indian Creek Trail. 5 blocks of cluh-clunk, cluh-clunking over the sidewalk cracks later….and we hit the smooth beautiful pavement of the trail.

This morning we resumed our routine of looking for all the different birdies and stopping to watch until they get scared and fly away. We were focused on a few itty bitty birds when a GIANT blue heron flew across our path and landed in the creek just a few feet away. It’s wingspan was impressive. Even to a three year old. We watched in awe as it gracefully walked up the stream and out of sight. It was magical.

We also saw a bunny, a bright red cardinal, a set of awkward baby birds nesting under some clay roof tiles, and a blue jay we call “Cutie Patootie”….even though blue jays are bullies. But, have you seen my daughter say “Cutie Patootie"? It’s worth it….even for a bully.

Just like every day, Laney found a stick and uses it as a wand to protect us when we go through the “deep dark woods” and she insisted that I collected a couple “acorns” (pinecones) on a very busy street. It requires that I shimmy under a tree off the beaten path and I feel a bit embarrassed. But I do it because she asks me over and over and gets louder and louder and I really don’t want her to wake up the baby because if she sleeps through the rest of my walk then I don’t have to get her out of the stroller and hold her while trying to push with one hand. So I go get the pinecones. And so would you.

As we were on our way back to the house, I realized that the kids only have 4 days of school left. That’s when I started fantasizing about being the awesome summer mom. I do this every year. I picture all the fun, interactive, educational, sun-kissed activities we will do during our 11 weeks off. In this fantasy, my kids sing my praises in their “What I did for summer break” essays when they go back to school. I love that fantasy. This one started out with us going on these very walks every morning and playing Nature Bingo! Of course, I have conscientiously prepared individual bingo cards with all of the wholesome flora and fauna we will see on our walk. No 0ne will fight over who saw what first and I will definitely NOT end up holding the baby and pushing the stroller with one hand while someone else tells me how tired their legs are and they wish they were playing ipad and throwing back a few otter pops.

I’ll let you know how the bingo goes.

P.S. Did I mention that for a moment I slipped into sheer insanity and toyed with the idea of having a tv-free summer? I mention this only because I’d like you to SLAP me if you see me in then next 24 hours.

Slap some sense into me.