6 Teachings From My 1.5 Year Old (Part 2)

Funny thing how I find myself back here full circle writing a part 2 to this title… but as different as Maddison is from Gracie, it’s only right that I do so.  Looking back on her little 1.5 years of existence has taught me a lot.  Here are 6 of my favorite things I have learned from Madds as she grows into her little toddler-self.  She is already 75% on her way to 2!   

1. Wake Up and Go

Man o’ man is Maddison the master of making you move your tail in the morning.  I thought growing up with a military father waking me up at 6am to mow the lawn on the weekends was tough, but this kid!  Sheeeeeeesh.  Madds is always starting her day like she has a laundry list of things to do.  It’s really mind boggling and hilarious at the same time.  Gracie was the kind of little being that would wake up and play in her crib for an hour before calling for mom or dad services.  Maddison—not so much.  She wakes up and within 2 seconds is yelling like a patient fresh out of surgery smashing the nurse help button because the medication isn’t taking and she’s wet herself… I’d say I don’t get it but this is a blog about teaching so what’s the takeaway?!?  Get up and get your ass moving!  You’ll get more done!  Maddison goes as hard as she can for as long as she can and then crashes when the battery hits E.  Too often as adults we say “I’ve got time to do that later,” only to find “later” to be “soon” and “soon” to be “never.”  I’m super guilty of this and am working on it myself.  Sprint while you can and jog at the end.  It’s always easier that way.  No worse feeling then starting out slow and trying to rush to the finish line.

2. Say Hi to People in Passing

You know what’s ironic?  How we teach our kids to acknowledge others and speak to one another, yet as adults we walk by each other heads buried in our smartphones and tablets… our only socialization occurring because we are either friends, have to work together, or because we need something via a transaction.  Fascinating epiphany, I know.  But somewhere in the realm of texting, facebooking, and snapa-gramming, we have lost the art of HELLO.  Whatever happened to saying good morning to someone on the sidewalk in passing, or a good evening to your neighbor from the driveway whilst arriving home from work?  A subtle head nod of acknowledgment letting you know you weren’t invincible?  A wave?  A smile?!?!  Maddison says hi to everyone she comes across, at random, expectedly and unexpectedly.  It’s refreshing to see the happy look it puts on people’s faces.  I think we ought to real this back in as adults.  Call me crazy, but it may make someone’s day.

3. Curls are curls…So Embrace it

Pretty self-explanatory if you’ve ever seen Maddison’s hair.  We’ve tried numerous ways of conditioning it, straightening it, washing it, and pony tailing it.  No matter what, that beast of an adorable hair do is coming back with a tangly vengeance, especially first thing in the morning.  Doing her hair every day is like going up into the attic, bringing down Christmas lights that have been put away for a year, and sorting them out.  You can only do so much before just dealing with it.  So play the cards you are dealt every once in a while; there’s no shame in it.  Sometimes they can be pretty adorable.

4. Eat Some Bubbles

From time to time Maddison will eat bubbles during her bath time.  I don’t know why she digests bubbles.  I thought it was “just a phase” for the longest time but she is still keeping it up.  Knowing the bubbles are non-toxic makes me feel much better about her indulgence, but it doesn’t mean I really agree with it.  It makes her happy though and isn’t hurting me, so I swallow the biggest bubble of all by letting her roll with it.  Adults—we are much different from this…we have right ways and wrong ways of doing things to our own standards.  So much is “my way or the highway” mentality, even if it isn’t affecting us.  Just an interesting thought:  If it’s not really doing anything to your health or well being or that of a loved one, why really worry about it?  Keep it movin’ people… keep it moving.  Nothing to see here… just some bubble dessert.

5. Go Outside

Maddison loves to go outside.  She forces it upon Liz and me sometimes when we really just want to sit down and relax.  Early in the morning or late at night, it doesn’t really matter, she throws a fit if she is left behind.  On my roughest mornings when I haven’t slept at all and it’s my day off, I enjoy getting Maddison out for an early morning walk.  It’s therapeutic and refreshing and we have great 1 on 1 conversations.  I think everyone would be a little healthier mentally and less stressed out if they would just go for a walk.  I’m not trying to go all Bob Ross on you guys and gals, just give it a shot on a rough day.  It’s nice being out in space.

6. When You Fall, Get Up

Maddison has a super competitive spirit; she is always chasing Gracie in everything and trying to keep up.  As a result, she has taken some rough spills on the hardwood and stairs.  Oh and there was that one time out of the bath tub too…the butt naked slip.  She has also fallen off of our bed, out of her crib, and I can’t forget that one time she dumped out of the highchair too.  Haha, she also went head over heels out of Gracie’s bed right over the railing…needless to say she is quite the unintentional tumbler and we sound quite like the non supervisional parents.  But EVERY TIME, crying or not, she recovers, dusts herself off, and is back on the chase.  Never feeling sorry for herself.  Her competitive spirit and hunger to keep up outweighs the pains needed to achieve.  It’s ok to have people help you when you fall, but they can’t hold you up forever.  Sometimes you just have to suck it up and do the damn thing.

So be like Madds.

Just make sure the bubbles are non-toxic.

Peace and Carpe Diem!

Or You can read part 1 here.