Little Victories are Still Victories

Today, I took my boys for a walk. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but trust me, it really is.

You see, we live on the second floor of our double. I absolutely love where we live, but this fact alone has got me dreaming of our single family home someday! Especially with twins. I have never had enough energy/motivation/reason to take the boys anywhere on my own. It was just too much work! When they were little and in their infant carriers, I would have had to carry all of our stuff to the car first, go back up to get the boys and then back up again to lock all of the doors. No, thank you. It just wasn't feasible. As they got older, the idea of taking them out still gave me a headache, but I knew there'd be a day the effort would be completely worth it.

Today was that day.

The weather was gorgeous. More than 60 degrees and a gentle breeze. The sun was shining in my windows and so I opened them for some fresh air. The boys climbed all over themselves to get up on the couch to not just see out the window, but also (for the first time, I think,) actually hear all of the noises that went with it. They were mezmerized. I just couldn't keep them cooped up in our apartment in a day like this. So I set out to do something that I would have never entertained six months ago. I was going to take them outside.

Our destination was my mother-in-law's house, just a block over. I called Andy to let him know our plans (which really excited him) and then started the planning... get myself dressed, pump, feed the boys, change their diapers and pack some light stuff. I took the stroller out of the van, packed everything onto it and then I came back up for the boys. I held them both in my arms and carried them down at the same time, taking extra care to lock the doors behind me. For about twenty-two pounds each, I felt like I was lifting two anvils. Woah, they're getting heavy.

I loaded them into their stroller, an idea they weren't sure they wanted to get behind at first, and began our trek. I was already out of breath.

The boys enjoyed the walk, the sounds, the people, the lights, and the fresh air. When we got to Grandma's, they enjoyed touching the grass and feeling the sidewalk. It was priceless. We visited for a while and then came back to the house for naptime. I put the brakes on the stroller, threw the diaper bag around my shoulder and carried them back up the stairs. If I thought they were anvils before, they might as well have been baby elephants. How did they both gain twenty more pounds on that walk? :)

I had beads of sweat running down my cheek and I took off the layers that were weighing me down. I cleaned up the boys and changed their clothes before giving them another bottle. Within a half hour, they were both asleep.

Jonathan sprawled out on the couch, exhausted

You may not think taking a walk is a big deal. Well, you are wrong. It doesn't matter how many kids you have or how old they are. Taking them outside of your house - dressed, fed, and ready for anything - is a really big deal.

I. Did. It.

And that, my friend, is a really good feeling.