Not my finest Mommy moment

So today Presley and I took a walk to the park.  Since summer seems to be clinging on (yay!!), she and I are given the chance to keep our exercise time outside.  The only way I can convince Presley to go on a walk in her stroller, which she tries to talk me out of almost every time promising to be good, is to tell her we are walking to the park.  Which we are, I just take 2 1/2 laps around the High School up the street before heading over there.  I used to be able to walk laps around the playground, but Presley is a little obsessed with the swings and would love to be pushed by me for hours on end.  That doesn't really help me get my walk in, so I detour around the high school, try and sneak 2 laps in at the park after I push her for awhile, then push her more after my laps, then head home.  Although she is close to being able to swing by herself on the big-kid swings, she prefers for me to push her in the baby swings.  Sooooo boooooooring.

So today, after pushing her for about 15 minutes, I told her I was taking my 2 laps around the park and asked if she wanted to get out of the baby swing.  She said 'no' so I gave her really big pushes and started off.  I get about 100ft away when she calls out that she's changed her mind and wants to walk with me.  Of course she does.  I yell back that I will catch her on the next lap.  She is barely swinging when I come back after lap 1 and ask if she wants out to join me on lap 2.  She says yes, but as I start the loop she panics that she needs to find a stick to bring with her.  This is one of many lolly-gagging (sp?) tactics for a short lap so I call back that she'll need to catch up.  She starts screaming at me to wait for her despite the fact I'm not more than 50ft away and I turn back just in time to see her bite it on the pavement.

Uh oh.  I'm waiting for the ensuing wails to begin as I snatch her up and see the bloody raw scrape on her knee.  This was all my fault.  She was running to catch up and I couldn't wait a minute?  Needless to say I snatched her up quickly and did my lap clutching her tightly and tasting her salty tears.  What is wrong with me??!!  She didn't place any blame on me "I got 2 owies on my own 2 legs!" but I certainly did.  This put an end to our park visit and the best lesson I can get from this experience is that I have the time to wait for this little girl and her props.  There is no need to hurry.....not me and not her.  God only knows how many opportunities I have left to walk a lap in the park on a sunny day with a little angel that loves me.  May I never waste a chance like this again.