the Mother Runner

Maybe it’s that school – or the prospect of school – is once again on the horizon, but I’m feeling the need to build train tracks and read stories and invite the boys into the kitchen to help out more often. (The girl needs no invitation, and she finds her own ways to help – [...]

The Little Miss wants to walk. She stands. She reaches out. She leans and leans, and then . . . she falls. Right into our hands. Once or twice she has picked up a foot, but she hasn’t quite gotten it placed before . . . “Timber!” the mighty tree is down. It’s exciting. Her [...]

New York City in the spring. Always worth the wait. After months of bundling up and staying close to home, of keeping our heads down and pushing our way through the snow and cold, we are unwrapping ourselves, exploring areas we were once familiar with, opening up to see how the winter has reshaped our [...]

The Little Miss cries and screams and weeps and wails if ever I leave the room or close a door between us or put her down or walk past her. But if I pick her up or wear her in the carrier, she pinches and scratches and pokes my neck and chest until it is [...]

Quickquickquickquick s-l-o-w. Quickquickquickquick s-l-o-w. That is the rhythm of life. Rush rush rush rush until you are there and  . . . then what? You are there. Was it worth the rush? Is it everything you imagined? Or are you looking around, trying to find some other place to go, some place else to rush [...]

The Little Miss turned 9 months yesterday and is growing up so fast. Just like every child. She stands! Unassisted! For several seconds at a time! This is a development I never would have guessed from this little being who is so quiet and content and unassuming most of the time. She reminds me of [...]

I was doing fine with all of this marathon bombing craziness until today. Now that I am farther away and can’t see that for the most part it is business as usual. It was interesting being on the other side of the equation, being “there” where all the action was, and seeing that, for the [...]

I’ve heard it said that you never get over the fear of the marathon. No matter how many times you’ve done it, 26.2 miles is a long way and no matter how well-prepared you are, there is plenty of time and space for unpredictability. And also, it hurts. Most marathon runners I know have had [...]

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that I am running a marathon on Monday. Maybe once or twice? I am excited and nervous, even though this is not my first rodeo. It is my fifth and I know how these things go. Lots of anxiety, anticipation, excitement. And then, finally, the first steps. I can [...]

I think it’s safe to say we’ve had an . . . interesting couple of weeks. New job. Flu. Strep. Marathon training. Teething. Weekend getaway. Part of me wants to say, Just wait a couple of weeks. It’ll all calm down and be normal then. And the other part of me says, This is normal. This is what [...]