outside

The baby learned how to say, “outside.” We live here now.

Outside with the flowers. Outside at the playground. Outside on the porch. Outside with the bubbles. Outside when it’s cold out. Outside when it’s raining. Outside when you don’t need a jacket.

She was a (surprise!) November baby, but it was a relatively less cold winter that year. We searched: how cold is too cold for a baby to be outside, and decided that freezing was a good limit. Especially for a preemie. So every day that was at freezing or above, we went outside. We calmed her on the porch, wrapped in blankets. We took short stroller walks. We walked to the bus and rode it to the store. Outside.

We live here still.

She reminds me to follow the sun on the cool days, to follow the shade in the heat. To wear mittens and hats and raincoats and whatever you need so you can still get outside.

On good days and bad days. Especially bad days. It’s a reset.

Go outside.