Lessons from Daddy

Cati got to spend a whole week with her daddy. They bonded, laughed, hugged, and enjoyed one another. Alex woke up to a happy baby every single day of his vacation. He snuggled with her in the mornings, played with her in the afternoons, and kissed her good night in the evenings. In between Alex passed along some daddy and life wisdom. Here's what Cati learned this week:

1. Exercise is important. Not just from a health stand point but from a feel-good-about-yourself standpoint. Alex told Cati that the best way to keep up with a workout routine is to have a workout partner. Cati learned how to do push-ups and daddy spotted her when the workout got tough.

2. There's no excuse for being dirty. No one wants to be around a stinky and dirty person so keeping up with personal hygiene is really important. It takes a few minutes a day so there's really no excuse.

3. Reading is good for the brain. Reading is fun! Alex told Cati she's going to be doing a lot of reading when she grows up and starts school. He told her it's the main way to keep yourself mentally growing and developing when you are a big person. He told her it was never too early to get introduced to and start loving books.

4. Don't be afraid to try new things. A lot of things are scary in life, but you have to do them so you can know what you are capable of. If everything was easy, nothing would be worth doing. Roller coasters are scary but they are thrilling. Starting a new job is scary but succeeding in it gives a sense of accomplishment. Spread those wings and fly baby and don't be afraid of the dips along the way.

5. Imitation is the best form of flattery. This was a really important lesson Alex taught Cati. He wanted her to know that sometimes she will find herself not able to express how in awe she is of others so her actions-in the form of imitation-will let them know. He also wanted her to know that sometimes mean people will imitate her, but that's just flattery masked by jealousy.

6. Don't be afraid of turning to adults. Us big people are around to help you learn about the world. Take advantage that we know and have experienced more than you. We want to teach you everything we know and prepare you for the world. We are and will always be here for you.

7. Don't make fun of people with glasses. Having glasses is really cool. Think of it as another fun accessory!

8. The internet is a big place. There is a lot of information out there and some of it's bad. Alex wanted Cati to know that while the internet will probably be a big part of her life as she grows up, she needs to remember that no matter how much information it contains it won't always have all the answers.

9. Playing is good for you no matter your age. Alex wanted Cati to now that just because she will stop being a kid some day it doesn't mean she has to stop dreaming, imagining, and playing. Even big people like to play.

10. Love hurts sometimes. And sometimes love smothers and overwhelms you. But that's ok because love is such a big emotion. Love isn't always happy and sometimes it brings tears. But feeling and knowing love is a lot better than not.