"The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It"

Weather permitting, I take Stella on our weekly walk to the Merrick Park Rose Garden to take-in the beauty of this hidden little Evanston gem.

   

And 15 years from now, Stella will be a sassy teen and when we pass Merrick Park I will tell her again how we used to take her there when she was a little baby and she will say, "I know Aunt Stace -- you say that like every.single.time we pass this place. You've told this story a THOUSAND times!"

  

Because she will be rightfully annoyed.
And I will have told her at least a thousand times because I will forever look back at this fortunate year when the stars aligned and I got to be her nanny while in graduate school. And how for one whole lucky year we literally and physically got to stop and smell the roses :)

      

I know it's so special because this is the only time in life that Stella will be the "only" child. Before you know it there will be siblings and cousins and best friends -- and soccer games and ballet recitals and gymnastics meets and T-ball tournaments -- and birthday parties and baptisms and unexpected ouchies to tend to -- and time nor attention nor patience will ever again be on our side like it is now. There will just be too much life to be lived!

     

And oh-soo-too-soon my little niece/bestie/pal will learn to crawl and walk and talk and she'll be far too busy to sit still to stare at some silly perennial plants!  Parks with playgrounds will be paramount.  And then before ya know it she'll be able to say "no" when we ask her if she even wants to go to the park so we'll do whatever else she wants instead (likely story).  And by that time I'll have done a deep-dive into my next professional career creating far less options for outings as such :(   Sigh 

      

So yeah, I will certainly look back fondly and repeat myself (per usual) when that time comes. But for now, I will continue to sit alongside Centennial Fountain to count the penny-wishes within and tell Stella imaginary stories of what each one is secretly yearning to make come true. 

And we will stay an extra few minutes to sit in the shade together and I will consciously enjoy every mili-second of nannyhood with this little Gerber daisy 

who has so graciously allowed me this opportunity in life 

to stop and smell the roses :)

    

I heart you Stella Grace!