What I’ve Learned From a 10-mo Old! (or 2, 10-mo olds)

I nanny 10-month-old twin girls, Clare-Bear and Lu-Lu, four days a week (they’re a lot cuter then my drawing)! I experience a little big of heaven each day, well… most days. I learn a lot from these little people.  They keep me busy, chasing them around, while I chase my dreams here in Nashville, Tennessee.  I was thinking this afternoon as I enjoy the peaceful sound of ticking clocks (a.k.a. sleeping babies), just how much I’ve learned from them.

What I’ve Learned

1. Naps are very important to Productivity!
I give myself a hard time every time I take a nap because I feel like such a failure. Especially being self-employed and being my own music boss, I can always be doing something, so to take a nap is wasting valuable time. But sometimes I need a nap.  If I had a pacifier, I could probably use one of those too. If I don’t beat myself up for taking a nap, I can go back to my work feeling rejuvenated.

2. Falling down can be frustrating, a pain, and can hurt… scream a little, then get back up.
I watch these little peanuts fall down 15 times a day. They remind me that every stage in life has their challenges, that are very real to the person experiencing them.  The girls will get mad at the object that they think caused them to fall down, maybe let off some steam with a cry and then get back up and go about their business.

3. When someone tells you no, wait a little while then try again… and again… and again… coming from different angles if you have to.
Oh, the dreadful stairs. Clare is determined to get her little tushy up those stairs. I’ll tell her no, she’ll get mad at me and as soon as I turn my back she’s racing back towards them to attempt the climb. Sometimes I think she looks around for the most dangerous thing possible to play with, just to give me a heart attack. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s not about me. Hmmm…

4. Someone you love (even God) may tell you no and it may make you sooo mad, but forgive quickly and wholeheartedly.
(even if you don’t understand).
I’ll remove them from the object I don’t want them to have, and they’ll get mad at me and cry and sob and throw their heads back, sure that I’m the devil himself, and then… they forget… just like that, and we’re back to normal, hugging, singing, reading books and enjoying life.

5. Kiss and hug the ones you love lots of times during the day.
Sometimes, all you need is a hug!

6. You can find all types of treasures if you look for them, in the every day, ordinary stuff.
Babies don’t need expensive toys to play with, like us adults with the latest I-phones, cars and guitars, etc. They keep it simple, finding magic in flowers, ants and birds… even boxes and plastic containers.  They’re a lot more excited to find fuzz under the couch then I am!

7. Sometimes you will never get what you want… but try anyway.
Like the cat that runs away from you every time you chase it and scream in high pitch sounds at it… but try anyway… you never know, you may just wear him out!

8. Make silly faces and funny sounds if you see someone sad… it’ll make them laugh.
I don’t know how they know I’ve had a bad day, but they do.  And they make me laugh all the time. As one of my school workshop songs says, “Smiles are contagious! “

9. Belly laugh.
Music to my ears.

10. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat (what a novel idea!).
I’m going to try this one these days!

11. On the same token, when you’re hungry, the whole world can seem mean, cruel and out to get you.
Shane knows very well, if Bonnie Lee’s hungry, get her food. And I don’t know how it happens, but as soon as I eat, the sky suddenly turns brighter and people around me become nicer and I’m like superwoman; I can do anything!

12. Take baths and people will want to sniff you all day long.
Mmmmmm!

13. When you hear music, dance. With your whole body. Get into it.
I turn on music just to watch them dance. They’re fearless. As soon as they hear the beat, their knees start bouncing and their arms start swaying…
I wanna be more like them.

www.BonnieLeePanda.com (new site almost finished!)