Stroller seasons

Yesterday, I took the kids out in the jogging stroller for the first time in a few weeks. They sit side by side, which I think they both prefer. (Until Ellie is a little older and we have to draw an imaginary line, right?) Anyway, we went to the Cameron Park area to run and go to the zoo. (I know, pity the other people at the zoo, but if I am going to be outside with both kids, I might as well get a run out of it!) I noticed some changes in the kids during our outing. Ellie was a little bit more fidgety, and she stayed awake the whole time. Every other time we made this trip, which was weekly over the summer, she took a little cat nap. Joshua was a little less restless. He would usually sit forward and grip the bar in front of him while pointing out every duck, squirrel, bird, and dog. Yesterday, he leaned back, crossed his ankles, and pointed out the big trucks along with all of those fun animals. Every now and then, Joshua sat up for a few minutes to look at something. When he leaned back, he gestured for me to arrange the cushion behind him because it had shifted. It made me smile!

Time marches on

I am finally running again. The past 6 months has been my longest hiatus from consistent running since... 8th grade! It is funny because these days, when I run, I have to remind myself how much time has passed. I still enjoy running on the Bear Trail, a 2.4 mile loop on Baylor campus. Since I started running that trail in August of 2001, life sure has changed! I have a lot of history there. I ran that trail when it was mostly runnner-friendly gravel; I ran it as I watched monstrous buildings go up. I have run the Bear Trail five or more times in a row to train for marathons; I have run it with my double jogging stroller. I have run the trail with friends, by myself, and with my kids... both in utero and in the jogging stroller. I have run the trail as a freshman in college, single, dating, engaged, married, and pregnant. I have run the trail in the dark hours of the morning and in the wee hours of the night. When I set out to run the Bear Trail for the first time this season, I enjoyed watching students go about their lives. I wonder, when I am not with my kids, how old I look to those students. They sure look young and little to me! For me, it feels like hardly any time as passed since I ran my first lap.