Taking time to smell the roses. And the black eyed Susans. And the gerbera daisies.

Have you ever gone on a walk with a 3 year old? It's amazing, really. A simple 1 block walk, which should take you roughly 3.2 minutes, takes nearly 30 minutes with a three year old.

On Sundays Aaron and I have a 'thing'. We walk to get a newspaper up the street at the gas station. When he was younger he'd happily hold my hand and we'd be there and back in a matter of minutes.

Now? Not so much. First he has to find his shoes. Then he has to find his sunglasses. Then he has to pass his train table and say hello to all of his trains. Then he might look over and see one of his lacing shapes and ask me to untangle it. While I'm doing that he'll get amused with another toy completely and my untangling has become for naught. Then the phone might ring and he'll ask to speak to whomever is calling (if they're so lucky. Lately he's been on an anti-talking kick). Then he'll probably want to go into his bedroom. Once in his bedroom he'll want to sit up on his bed, therefore having to take off his shoes. After reading him 15 stories he might want lunch. I'll tell him we're out of peanut butter and he'll want to go to the store to get some. Then I'll remind him that I don't have an ad to see if the peanut butter is on sale. Because I still don't have a newspaper.

Once we do manage to leave the house we might have to take inventory of every dog/car/leaf on our street. We'll walk exactly 2 houses away before Aaron will want to stop and sniff the flowers (weeds, really. I don't want to offend the woman who *thinks* she has a flower garden) of the garden in front of that home. He'll point to the black eyed Susans, the gerbera daisies, and some random weed. Then we'll walk to the corner, where he'll proclaim that the local drinking hole has a *very* stinky Dumpster.

On the way home we'll pass the 'Pumpkin House'. The Pumpkin House was dubbed as such last Fall. The owners had teeny little baby pumpkins sitting on the railing of their home. Eagle Eyes Aaron noticed said pumpkins and determined that that house must be called the Pumpkin House. Even at Christmas when there was a lack of pumpkins and slew of Santa decor it was the Pumpkin House. At Easter they had a bunny on their porch, but the pumpkins must be in the basket. It was tragic this summer when the Pumpkin House had NO decor at all.

1/2 way home we'll find a pretty leaf or a couple of dandelions. Without fail Aaron will pick them. Every.Single.Time. And without fail he will turn to me and with the charm that only a three year old can have, he will thrust said leaf/flower/weed at me and say, "Here mommy! I picked you a beautiful flower!".

And that my friends, is why I never care how long our 1 block, 3.2 minute walk should take.

It takes as long as necessary.