Outside foods

The other day I made cornbread, knowing that a) Katherine would love it b) it was good food for her (I cut down on the sugar, and combined the cornmeal with ww flour) c) it would make an incredible mess on our carpet.  So cornbread is now one of my “outside foods.”  On most afternoons, when Katherine wakes up from her nap, I hustle the kids into the stroller so that we can catch some fresh air before dark, and I hand her both a small tupperware box (in this case, cornbread and dried apricots, at other times tortillas with peanut butter and raisins, or hummus and carrots) and a bottle of water.  Everyone is happy: our teething baby gets some distraction and a chance to sleep (Teeth 3 and 4), Katherine gets some fresh air, food, and a chance to wake up somewhat slowly from her nap, and I get some exercise and time in green space.  At some point Katherine joins me on my walk, usually after I’ve given up on coaxing her out, and she really enjoys pushing Nathaniel.  Whether because she takes too many walks with me or because she’s just at that age, Katherine runs, rather than walks, so we manage to cover some ground.  Unfortunately, we’re slowly being squished by the encroaching dark, but I know that that time of year is short, and we’ll find another way to get out once it’s too cold and wet for playgrounds and too dark for afternoon park visits.

Erin