Pockets Filled With Pebbles

Time with my daughter is time that I value above everything else.

Throughout her six years on this Earth, Ivy & I have developed many traditions, such as our special ways of saying "I love you" or our bedtime story sessions, after checking for monsters at night by knocking first, (because it's rude to barge right in the closet) & over the last year, we have made it something of a tradition to go on morning walks together along the river by our house. 

Sometimes we only walk as far as the "blue & red boats" before we turn back, & sometimes we could go for miles, basking in the sunshine together while we splash rocks into the water & sing silly songs that my Mother taught me when I was Ivy's age.

Ivy has a very curious mind & is always so eager to learn about the world around her. After almost ever single walk, we come home & do some kind of research to find out where an squirrel stores its food for the winter or how heavy groundhogs get, & we always seem to come home with our pockets filled to the brim with pretty pebbles & empty snail shells to add to Ivy's fairy garden. Even if it was raining, Ivy would still be begging to go outside to splash in puddles because like any other child, she thrives when she is outdoors.

One thing I particularly love about our little adventures is that it not only gives us the opportunity to strengthen our bond, but it also allows us to step away from the daily distractions that seem to so quickly consume our attention. We can talk without the sound of a tv or radio in the background. Ivy can feel safe to confide in me without worrying if anyone else is around to hear her & I can have her full attention without having to confiscate a tablet or limit tv time. Out in nature, it is simply Ivy & I, & our pockets filled with pebbles.