A walk with my bean

Dear Beanie,

Looking at the ducks down there!

One of my favourite things to do is to go for a walk with you. Walking is still a pretty new and exciting phenomenon for you, and we are both still working out the logistics of walking together. Like... what do I do when you are so foot-stampingly adamant that you will walk alone, without holding my hand, without my hand on your back, but we are on the busy street? Do I let you walk and simply walk between you and the cars, ready to pounce at a moment's notice when you spot a drain in the middle of the road that you'd like to peer into? Or do I pick you up, protesting like mad, and carry you until you learn that you must hold my hand when we are on the busy street? Or do I buy one of those laughable little backpacks that have a leash attached (that I can now see the practicality of...)? I want you to exert your independence, but it is my job to keep you safe. It's a tough one.

Despite these parental questions, I just love walking with you. You are fascinated by things I would never have thought to look at: the tiny curling tendril of a vine, an ant carrying a crumb, a cobblestone that is a different colour to the rest. I love just letting you do what you want, go where you like, explore what you will.

There's buttons near that lift, right?

Your favourite things on these walks are the big statue of an elephant on the corner (why is it there? Nobody knows...), pushing the buttons for the lift at the pedestrian crossings (no surprises there), watching the ducks (you can now say 'duckies!'), running down the big ramp, and walking quickly quickly quickly across the train tracks, looking both ways again and again.



You're always tired about two hundred metres from home, which is where I pop you in the sling and we have lots of cuddles and kisses as we meander back. I think we nearly caused an accident yesterday because I started kissing you all over your face and making you giggle hysterically, and a driver must have been watching us and had to skid to a very speedy stop to stop themselves from ramming the car in front. Achtung!

Tired and giggly with your pink dummy
 (embracing gender neutrality!)

Goodness, I love you, my little boy. I suck up these beautiful moments. Yes, walking with you takes an hour to cover the distance that I would normally cover in six minutes, but there is such wonder and joy to be had at this world around us. I love that you open me up to this.

I love you, bubba.
Love, Mummy.