Toddler Speed

I am slow. I run at a pace that would make John Bingham say "oh, come on, lady." When handed my medal at the conclusion of a race once, the volunteer kindly said "I love the walkers," and, nearly in tears, I said "but I ran it." I've always been the straggler, the one who gets winded climbing what seems like an ordinary hill. Some of it is that I have my ADD moments where in I get distracted and wander off in an odd direction, but some of it is that I'm just so slow.

The thing I didn't know was this. I've been in training. For being the mother to a toddler. My whole life of dawdling has been in preparation for this. I move at exactly toddler speed. I am very rarely exasperated at her meanderings or her slowness because I'm already moving at that speed.

I'm in so much trouble when she's 5.