Remember to teach this to your son!

A reminder to teach Ezra these gems.

Taken from Marc and Angel Hack Life: Practical Tips for Productive Living
Written by Angel Chernoff

“If only . . . ”  These two words paired together create one of the saddest phrases in the English language.

Here are ten choices that ultimately lead to this phrase of regret, and how to elude them:

1. Wearing a mask to impress others. 

If the face you always show the world is a mask, someday there will be nothing beneath it. Because when you spend too much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who everyone else wants you to be, you eventually forget who you really are. So don’t fear the judgments of others; you know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you. You don’t have to be perfect to impress and inspire people. Let them be impressed and inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.

2. Letting someone else create your dreams for you.

The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are; the second greatest is being happy with what you find. A big part of this is your decision to stay true to your own goals and dreams. Do you have people who disagree with you? Good. It means you’re standing your ground and walking your own path. Sometimes you’ll do things considered crazy by others, but when you catch yourself excitedly losing track of time, that’s when you’ll know you’re doing the right thing.

3. Keeping negative company. 

Don’t let someone who has a bad attitude give it to you. Don’t let them get to you. They can’t pull the trigger if you don’t hand them the gun. When you remember that keeping the company of negative people is a choice, instead of an obligation, you free yourself to keep the company of compassion instead of anger, generosity instead of greed, and patience instead of anxiety.

4. Being selfish and egotistical. 

A life filled with loving deeds and good character is the best tombstone. Those who you inspired and shared your love with will remember how you made them feel long after your time has expired. So carve your name on hearts, not stone.  What you have done for yourself alone dies with you; what you have done for others and the world remains.

5. Avoiding change and growth.

If you want to know your past look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future look into your present actions. You must let go of the old to make way for the new; the old way is gone, never to come back. If you acknowledge this right now and take steps to address it, you will position yourself for lasting success. See the book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.

6. Giving up when the going gets tough. 

There are no failures, just results. Even if things don’t unfold the way you had expected, don’t be disheartened or give up. Learn what you can and move on. The one who continues to advance one step at a time will win in the end. Because the battle is always won far away and long before the final victory. It’s a process that occurs with small steps, decisions, and actions that gradually build upon each other and eventually lead to that glorious moment of triumph.

7. Trying to micromanage every little thing. 

Life should be touched, not strangled. Sometimes you’ve got to relax and let life happen without incessant worry and micromanagement. Learn to let go a little before you squeeze too tight. Take a deep breath. When the dust settles and you can once again see the forest for the trees, take the next step forward. You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to be headed somewhere great. Everything in life is in perfect order whether you understand it yet or not. It just takes some time to connect all the dots.

8. Settling for less than you deserve. 

Be strong enough to let go and wise enough to wait for what you deserve. Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand up taller than you ever were before. Sometimes your eyes need to be washed by your tears so you can see the possibilities in front of you with a clearer vision again. Don’t settle.

9. Endlessly waiting until tomorrow.

The trouble is, you always think you have more time than you do. But one day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to work on the things you’ve always wanted to do. And at that point you either will have achieved the goals you set for yourself, or you will have a list of excuses for why you haven’t. Read Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture.

10. Being lazy and wishy-washy.

The world doesn’t owe you anything, you owe the world something. So stop daydreaming and start DOING.  Develop a backbone, not a wishbone. Take full responsibility for your life – take control. You are important and you are needed. It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now; the somebody the world needs is YOU.

Destruction

Oh, Ezra. *sigh*

Buh bye

I think Ezra's first word is "buh-bye". He calls almost everything "mama," says "nai nai" only if you don't ask him what the substance in the bottle is called, and basically refuses to repeat any word we think he's saying.

But last weekend we went camping. And as a big RV was leaving the campsite, Ezra pointed, did a little one-handed-clap wave, and Ezra said, "buh bye." Then Bonnie walked away from camp, and Ezra said, "buh bye." Then another car drove away, and Ezra said, "buh bye."

This continued throughout the following week. Cars passing on the street? "Buh bye." Walking down the stairs of grandma's house to our car? "Buh bye."Suk suk leaves, closing the front door quietly? "Buh bye."


WE HAVE PROOF OF COGNITION!!!! First word: buh bye.

The music mogul

I imagine Ezra as a producer of a music event. He must make phone calls, sort out logistics, dance when the beat is just too good, and cuddle with a lady at the end of the night.

(Song: d.a.n.c.e. [remix] by Justice)

Babble babble

My son is a talker. Unfortunately, he still speaks that language only other babies seems to understand. However, he is amazing at imitating tonalities in speech patterns. The tonalities I use when I say "uh-huh" or "mmmmm good" Ezra can mimic perfectly, just without use of the actual words involved. It's incredibly adorable. The three words he seems to know well are "mama" (which he uses for all close family members regardless of gender, all photographs, landline telephones, and most dark-haired females over 25 years-old), "baw-baw" (which he correctly only uses for his paternal grandmother), and "nai-nai-nai-nai-nai-nai" (milk... he repeats this until he gets a bottle of liquid white gold). Every once and a while he says "tita" or "Nah-noo" (Tita Nanelle, which means Auntie Danielle).

But mostly Ezra babbles on and on in a language all his own. Especially once he gets a cell phone in his hands.

Not only does he babble as any grown up having conversation with that unseen person on the other line, he paces, rocks his head, and makes hand gestures. He even does a form of "hold on" before he sets the phone down for a moment to use his hands.

You need video proof.

Ezruberance

One of my favorite things about being a parent is discovering my child's personality. Noticing all the little quirks and preferences that make him totally unique and totally dope are the joys of my days. One thing that has become clear to me is that Ezra is "all or nothing." He uses brawn before finesse. He likes the more difficult, yet more direct route. Go around the huge, dangerous, precariously placed pile of toys? No! I will climb over it! Wait patiently for Mommy to get the toy high on the shelf? No! I will throw other toys at it until the toy I want falls! (which, by the way, is incredibly intelligent for a 13-month-old). Cut teeth one at a time? What?! NO! I will cut eight teeth simultaneously to get that mess over with. BOOM! He says a nonverbal "boom" all the time, which basically entails an NFL-superstar-style spiking of whatever happens to be in his hand at the moment. Bo has a REALLY bruised toe at the moment because some toys are not meant to be spiked ON HIS FOOT, if at all. Such a passion for life, such a gung-ho! attitude about tackling problems, such a confident lack of concern for his physical well-being, well we call this Ezruberance (Ezra-exuberance).

How Ezra sees himself during times of overt Ezruberance:

How Mommy looks at Ezra during times of overt Ezruberance:

What Mommy does after Ezra spikes something particularly heavy on her:

TODDLERS ARE FUN!!! Help me.

Note to Ezra: You're still my favorite.

Sluuurp!

Ezra (and Mommy's) first ramen . . .