cycle cross

With the arrival of fall comes one of the girls and my favorite spectator sports, cycle cross.

We love to go and watch Ricky ride. This weekend was our first cycle cross of the year. 

I woke the girls early in the morning and promised them *coffee to get them excited about being immediately transferred from bed to the car.

We bundled up in our sweaters, vests, and boots and headed out. We made a stop for coffee for me and warm milk steamers for the girls.

I watched my two girls in the rear view mirror as we drove, them slyly smiling and talking to each other as they took little sips from their steamers. They felt important and big to be holding their own cups of *coffee.

I remembered last year at this time and they were much smaller, one whole year smaller. Kami wasn’t even a year old and couldn’t walk.

It’s a funny thing the process of watching our babies grow.

In some ways, it’s been a huge relief to pass difficult stages of sleepless nights, teething and the need to be constantly held.

Watching their personalities unfurl as they grow is one of the most delightful things. Each of them so uniquely themselves and yet we continually catch glimpses of ourselves in their mannerisms and tendencies.

In many ways it is heart wrenching to watch them grow, too fast, away from needing constant care and attention in pursuit of their own independence. I want to stop them from growing older, keep them innocent and close, protect them from the harshness of life they will come to know. For now they know what we show them and allow them to see. The goodness, the protection and the closeness of comfort whenever it is needed.  I am challenged and inspired to know  that we have the privilege of keeping them safe and providing for them now, helping them grow to become independent, strong, and able to maneuver gracefully though all they encounter in the future.

And now back to cycle cross.

 It was a beautiful morning - the girls shared a waffle with peanut butter, nutella and marshmallows. We maneuvered our way through the forested trails to catch glimpses of Ricky as he would pass on the circuit. I would point him out as he was getting close and they would clap and shout "go daddy" as he came past.

They loved every minute of it.

We finished the morning by grabbing some breakfast sandwiches from here and eating them at home once the girls went down for their morning nap. The sandwiches were mouth watering good- loaded with butternut squash, arugula, sausage and egg. We also had the sweet potato brussel sprout hash, which hits all the key note tastes of fall, caramelized, warm and delicious.

* coffee = warm milk steamers