the old-fashioned art of strolling

after naps and before dinner, the girls like nothing better than to go for a walk ('doe owside [go outside] ah sidewalk' in lucy-speak).  and there's no better time and place for a stroll than a late spring evening in cleveland: warm in the sun, cool in the shade.  as you can see, chloe never leaves home without her purse ('i might need something!') and often a book or two.  on this occasion, we set off down the hill towards the shops, with detours up every set of steps,

stops at every 'big bum' (bump in the sidewalk ;-) ) for a jump,

and a long stay at the balance beam (repeat 124 x)

we didn't take the stroller, so i suspected it might end up like so:

there's something to be said about taking life at a 2 (or 3) year-old's pace =)