Just One

Last week, both girls were in day camp, and I had some time alone with my little man. He was born just 18 months after his sister, Jilly, and within four years of his big sister, Belly. It is not often that I have alone time with just D.

One morning, I decided to take him on a hike. On the grounds of a local college, there is a toddler-friendly hiking path that can be done in under an hour, even with a meandering almost-four year old.



Alone, it is even more apparent to me how much he has grown. The boy who I dragged to a speech therapist last year for never speaking, now never stops talking.

Without big sisters to boss him around, he turned into a little leader, having to be in front all the time. He was constantly telling me to watch out for sticks and pointing out the route markers painted on the rocks.


I've said that whenever I am with just one of my kids, it feels so much easier than when I'm juggling all three. When I say this, I'm not referring to the physical part of mothering, but the part of me that wants to be there for my kids when they have a question or when they need my undivided attention. Having three who I chose to teach at home means that we are often together and the kids have to share me.

I obviously think our particular lifestyle is worth these challenges, but sometimes it is so nice to have just one, even for just a few hours of walking in the woods together.