This summer feels different. It is different. And it’s hitting me just how fleeting this chapter really is – the days of being just a one-child parent is coming to a close, and my mind is full of next steps, to-do lists, and appointment reminders—especially as we count down to the arrival of baby number two this December. Life feels like it’s in motion, fast and full.

But then came a quiet, mid-June evening that shifted something in me. Scott, Roux and I visited the Butterfly Experience at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, and it was the pause we didn’t know we needed. Just the three of us. Just a sun-warmed greenhouse, soft wings fluttering through the air, and the sound of his little voice saying “look!” every few steps.

I wasn’t sure how much Roux would really take in, but he was mesmerized. He darted from plant to plant with wide eyes, chasing wings and shadows. He crouched low to watch butterflies with a magnifying glass, seeing up close the beauty in tiny details; he was completely enchanted.

It was such a simple evening. But it felt like time stopped.

We have spent the last 3 years punctuating time and Roux’s growth with special trips to the Botanic Gardens. His first visit was at just 18 months when he watched in wonder the train roll through holiday greenery for their Poinsettia event at Christmas, and then later he discovered dinosaurs throughout the greenhouses with their Coleus and Creatures experience, and then of course, the February Tropical Staycation we so desperately needed.

These small outings have become our rituals. Not big or elaborate—but deeply, quietly meaningful. There’s something powerful about slowing down and truly being with Roux as he explores simple wonders at the gardens. And with every visit, there is always something new and exciting for littles to discover.

This is the season we’re in. One child. One little hand in ours —for now. I know come winter, everything will shift again, and there will be more love, more chaos. But for these last months of Roux being our only, I feel this pull to soak it in. To watch him in the spotlight a little longer. To uncover the tiniest and most beautiful things about the world around him. And I can’t wait to introduce #2 to the magic of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, and make memories as a family of 4.


The Butterfly Experience at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens runs from June 7 to August 3, 2025, inside their newly renovated Tropical Orchard House. The exhibit is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and timed tickets are required. Admission is included with your general ticket.

Reserve your spot and learn more at buffalogardens.com.