I am an outside kind of gal. Even as a bookish child, my preferred reading spot was on a wooden seat nailed high up in a maple tree in front of our house. When that maple tree died, I mourned and was racked with guilt, thinking that my little bench had hastened its demise (which it probably did).
I like to walk outside, soak up the sunshine and read a book, and play in the dirt. Winter is tough for me. When I lived in Africa I loved that the majority of life was spent outdoors. My "mama" there would just haul the table and chairs outside, and we would eat our lunch and have out tea under the shade of the avocado tree. It was absolutely lovely, and something that I need to incorporate into my fluorescent lit life more often.
Apparently my daughter is her mother's child. Yesterday evening, while Hubs was out of town for work, Miss Priss, as is her wont when I am alone, was having a fussy day. Lord! That child was either eating, sleeping or crying! I tried to get her to sleep. I fed her. I rocked her. I sang to her. All to no avail.
Then, covered in spit-up, clad in shorts, a hoodie and my slippers (me- pretty much the same outfit as these pictures, but even rougher) and rather filthy footie (Miss Priss), I sat her down in my lap on the front stoop. Buddy sat by our side, and I sipped a cup of hot, sweet milky tea, like I drank in Tanzania.
We watched the honeybees zoom around my pansies, and talked about the cars driving by. Buddy licked away some remaining tears, and protected his girls. As I discussed with my daughter what I would plant in my front beds this spring, her fussiness dissolved into smiles. She and I just relaxed, and my day went from tense to joyful. It's amazing what a little fresh air will do.
This weekend I dressed her in one of my old dresses, soft from wear and just laid on a quilt under the shade of the blooming Bradford Pears. Hubs joined us, and shaped away. I would have put on some different clothes and some makeup if I had known, but Miss Priss looks too sweet not to share with y'all.
So are you an inside our an outside type? I think Hubs is more inside, except for restaurant patios! Haha- he will kill me for saying that!
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I've always been an inside girl myself. As a kid, I preferred sitting in the house with my Barbies and my books.
ReplyDeleteMy two black labs have done a lot to win me over to the "outdoors" side. :)
Outside for sure! Whether we're playing, swimming, porch-sitting, or beaching everything is better outdoors.
ReplyDeleteBoth my kiddos loved to be outside as babies and still do as youngsters. I totally encourage it as it keeps them off the telly! And yes, something about the warmth of the sun and the fresh air definitely keeps them relaxed.
It doesn't hurt that we live 15 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico.
I am such an outdoor girl. When I was little I would pack up a backpack with a book, some hi-c pouches, and snacks to haul way out into the farthest part of our backyard to read beneath my favorite plum tree. After a long and rainy weekend I realized that my sweet SG is just like her mama, she would just stare outside at the backyard begging to run around and play!
ReplyDeleteYou and DH are so sweet in these pictures!
Precious! Love seeing you two in these real (and really beautiful) candid snaps.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how the outdoors just does something for a fussy baby, as well as many of us, eh? I need a bit of each - my reading/writing time indoors and my outside time ideally on a beach or a horse (neither of which happens often enough :-).
Our "prolong our time with Julia in the evenings" lately has been a walk with her either in the stroller or me wearing her. It seems to relax her so much.
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