Part of trying to connect on a deeper level is taking a step back and looking at who needs TLC.
Hadley is one of them.
I’ve always had a deep connection with Bode but have to work harder with Hadley. Though we’re both independent, adventurous spitfires, we speak a very different love language. Bode and I are snugglers. Hadley is not physical but I’m slowly learning her “love language” is spending quality time together.
We haven’t had any meaningful one-on-one time since school started.
So, on Saturday morning, I announced Hadley and I were having a girl afternoon. The boys would go to Bode’s soccer game (another three goals–yay!) and the girls would hike Lookout Mountain in Golden.
I’ve probably hiked Lookout Mountain a hundred times, half of them were carrying my babies and the other half solo. I thought I knew the nuances of every bend in the trail.
Until I hiked it with my 7-year-old daughter.
I love hiking for a number of reasons that include beauty and fresh air but I’m in it for the workout when I’m alone. While Hadley kept a fast clip, she reminded me of what it means to stop and smell the roses.
That means applauding the squirrels as they launch across their forested trapeze and scaling every random rock wall she could find.
Finding perfect perches to howl at the moon abyss.
And stopping to marvel at the view at the summit.
My sad confession: I’ve always enjoyed the view but have never been absolutely blown away by its beauty until I saw it through my little girl’s eyes.
There is a very kid-friendly nature center at the top and I suggested we eat our snacks over there to get out of the wind. She looked over at the crowded parking lot, wrinkled her nose and pointed to a bluff overlooking the mountains.
“There’s too many cars and people over there. I want to look at the beautiful view and then go to the nature center,” she said.
Mini-Me.
Thinking back upon it now, I can’t even remember what we talked about but we babbled non-stop. It’s amazing how a whole lot of nothings amount to something wonderful.
We stopped at Cold Stone ice cream and as we drove home, Hadley pensively said: “That was an awesome girl day, Mommy. We need to do that more often.”
I couldn’t agree more.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 