Running with Ellie

Ellie and I often go running on the D & R Canal together. There is an entrance to this 30+ mile canal and trail 0.5 miles from our house (one of the biggest bonuses of living in our neighborhood). This is often a regular part of the day, nothing too out of the ordinary. On our run yesterday, we has an especially "warm" January day in the 40's. Much more pleasant than the brutal 15 degrees of a few weeks ago. When she was younger, she would inevitably fall asleep, but now, at 7 months, she is often interested in the sights and sounds around her. I found myself running along, listening to Ellie babble away to herself, "Ma-ma-ma-ha-ha-ha". It struck me as an unbelievably sweet moment: me and my daughter, alone in the woods, running along on a Tuesday afternoon. It made me stop and appreciate the little moments I get to share with her these days. She brings a unique kind of joy to the day with her little voice than I ever could have imagined. About 20 minutes into our run, she stopped babbling. I looked in on her and she was asleep. I have also learned to appreciate the quiet of her sleep, too;) Awake or asleep, she is joy.