My little princess got to see her Mom’s production of Cinderella today. It was magical to hear her whisper little things to me throughout and sit on my lap to see a few scenes (where’s the stadium seating, Independence High School??? J/K).

I made sure she did a little extra clapping and yelled out “Yeah Mommy’s Play!” a few times. I thought we’d leave at intermission just due to exhaustion and sitting still but she begged to stay – so we stayed – and she sat at full attention for the longest I’ve ever witnessed my almost 3 year old.

It’s not been an easy start to 2017. While Becky helps lead other people’s kids, I spend most of my time raising ours on my own. It’s very neat though to see Emerson appreciate something that her mother has worked so hard on and literally poured herself into. And it’s great to see her recognize some of the students who have babysat her, picked her up from daycare and become a part of her little world. And when she recognizes one of the “big kids” on stage, it’s just…cool. Amazing. My little girl is becoming a big person in this big world right in front of my eyes.

Impossible things are happening every day and may they never stop.

I typically don’t dislike whole years. To be honest, I don’t think much of them other than I love writing down resolutions (even though I don’t always follow them).

2016 was different. I’ve read the love and hate for this (now past) year and I want to say, “yes, I agree. With all of it.” I experienced the highest of highs with the birth of my baby boy and the lowest of lows with the loss of my mom. Instead of recapping the beauty and tragedy, here’s this. 16 lessons learned in 2016.

1. If people offer help, take it if you need it. There’s no shame in that. One day, maybe you can return the favor for someone else. But, in the meantime, let people love on you.
2. If you think you should call your mom or dad, do it. Don’t hesitate. Even if you only have 5 minutes.
3. Hug people for a couple seconds after you think about letting go.
4. Grief will try to swallow you whole but just recognize it for what it is: love. Lots of love that has to figure out a new path.
5. Trust your intuition, especially when it comes to your children or your own health. Medical professionals are smart, but sometimes your heart and gut are more powerful than knowledge.
6. Make peace where you can. Believe me, your heart will thank you.
7. Take pictures with people. Even if you look stupid, silly or gross. One day you will be so grateful you’ve captured a moment in time.
8. Save voicemails. I have one of my mom singing happy birthday and it’s honestly a treasure.
9. When someone asks “how are you?” It’s okay to be honest. In fact, you should be! Why the heck are we asking if we aren’t ready for a response!
10. Question people — doctors, nurses, teachers, bosses. Emotions may run high but try to be respectful and don’t let it stop you from getting your answers.
11. Be honest with those close to you. Tell them how you feel even when it isn’t pretty. They can help you find your way back, hold your hand or remind you that it’s going to be okay.
12. Babies are hard but most of it, even the most difficult moments, is just phases and you’ll get through it.
13. Wine is good.
14. Social media is a beautiful thing but can also be like a weight around your neck. Take frequent breaks. Maybe read a book or magazine instead from time to time.
15. Sometimes it all falls apart at the same time. It’s okay to be a trainwreck, a walking disaster, a hot mess. You’ll get through it. Somehow. I promise.
16. The person you love the most can get lost in the shuffle of life. They can even become your verbal punching bag after a hard day (or hard weeks), even though all you want to do is curl up next to them. Remind them and remind yourself how much they mean to you and let them love you through the tough stuff.

I know I’m partial but I think my daughter is beautiful. Stunningly so. Her eyes could tell a story chapters long. And that hair, that wild hair that she will probably hate at various points in her upbringing. I had two strangers today tell me how perfect her hair was (and her Mom wasn’t even around to do it) as well as this little girl on the playground say that she was “so pretty”.

I just want to catalog her entire life…she’s growing in leaps and bounds in wisdom and understanding.  Some of her best phrases:

“I got you” (I gotchu) – I often say this when picking her up from something high or getting her out of the car. She repeats this phrase to me now all the time in the randomest of situations. So much meaning and context. Emerson, I got you for the rest of your life and you don’t even fully grasp that yet.

“Seven” – she can count to 10 over and over again but there is something lispy about the way seven comes out. It’s all in the “v”…it sounds like maybe a “p” or a “b” and it cracks me up EVERY time.

“I’m getting you all wet” – just what it sounds like. Bath time is time to splash Daddy

“It’s getting dark” – a daily obsession with sun up and sun down

“Other one” – should be “another one” but who cares when it’s said so beautifully

It’s almost like the calendar flipping made fall come this year. We dropped 20-25 degrees on that first day. Runny noses and sore throats followed for the whole house but all were minor.

WIth the cooler temperatures, we were able to get OUTSIDE and play comfortably. The sandbox – BACK IN PLAY. The park – we can go for more than ten minutes without risk of sunburn.

We went to Lucky Ladd’s and had an AWESOME time together as a family. The new giant slides…a MAJOR hit. I think E and I could have done those all day. And my little girl got to ride a horse! Lincoln seemed to have a good time too…..sleepy boy!

Oh..and go VOLS! We got to this cool restaurant called Outlanders Southern Chicken to see the awesome Hail Mary.

My baby girl is 29 months old…I don’t know where the time has gone. Sometimes it seems like it is going by very slowly (like when she’s sick) and other times, it just flies by (like EVERY weekend and holiday break).

As she gets older, it’s just so apparent that E learns more and more of the things she knows outside the house. The wonderful Brenda who fills in in her daycare room told me on Friday that Emerson likes to “read” Brown Bear, Brown Bear. We have had this book at home for over 2 years and I had not seen her throw more than cursory look at it. I had read it on several occasions but found it kinda boring for a newborn.

Friday night, I pulled it out and put it into the rotation in her bedroom. She has more than a full main bookshelf of stuff to choose from so we switch some in and out for our own sanity sake. Sure enough, she goes through the pages and begins to ask ME what the animals are and the colors are.

The best part of this…I try to encourage her in most things she does. Putting a shoe on the wrong foot. “Great try”. Pouring her own water cup while flooding the kitchen. “Way to go”. Anyway,  there is a rainbow colored page in this book. E points to a blue section and asks me “what’s this”. As I name the color ‘blue’, my little girl looks at me and says “good job” like I’ve probably said to her 155,012 times in her 800+ days on Earth. It took everything in me to not just lose it…especially as she repeated the phrase as I answered her questions about ‘red’ and ‘white’.

She listens….she learns…she loves…and I love her more than she’ll ever know.

At the suggestion of my BFF, we enrolled E in gymnastics class. We wanted her to have a little structure, a little activity of her own with one of us and a whole lot of FUN. We did trials at a few places but eventually settled on one closer to home – man, these decisions seem so much more difficult when you are making them for your kid.

Well, I think a picture says a thousand words and these show that we made the right choice. They also do prayers during the stretches and everyone just seems so genuine. Also, I ran into a loooong lost high school friend there with her two kids!

I have now joined the rank of my family members with advanced degrees. My grandfather, Elmer Clay Burnett, was an educated man and surrounded himself with educated people. Out of my directs aunts and uncles, I can count at least 5 masters degrees and probably a doctorate or two as well.

After my sister finished law school (and I am still so so SO proud of her for that), I decided that I’d finally start on my own Masters in Information Systems. I mean, what’s a little sibling rivalry to drive you? In all honesty, I had taken the GMAT 5 years prior but was traveling a lot at the time so it just wasn’t feasible for me and I really wanted the in-class experience (Funny story – the only class I got a “W” on was a class I tried to do online even though that should have been much more convenient).

Anyway, this journey began with the spring semester of 2013. Becky and I were still technically newlyweds. On the date of my last class, June 28th, 2016, Becky and I are 50ish months into married life and our baby boy will be here to join our toddler girl in just a few weeks. I knew I would finish…it’s not in my nature to quit something I start but I can’t believe this journey is over. I took the slow road in getting there but what a satisfying feeling it is to have gotten this DONE.

Thanks to all those who helped along the way from words of encouragement to watching E to helping Becky out on my nights away. Party and celebration time!!!

Honestly, I didn’t care if our second child was a boy or a girl. I just wanted our fantastic daughter to have a playmate for life and someone to share things with in this crazy world of ours.

It’s only been since L has been here that I’ve actually started to think about what having a son actually means. None of these things are things that E won’t get to experience with me. Just the father/son dynamic will probably be a little different than the father/daughter one.

• The world will have 1 more Cubs fan.
• SItting on the glass at hockey games
• Throwing footballs in the yard and dunking basketballs
• Collecting Sports cards

I mean, how awesome is this little dude?

I’m so excited to watch L and E grow up together.

E is a big sister like I am a big brother. Instead of the almost 6 year difference between my sister and I, E will only have about 2.5 years between them. My sister and I never shared the same school or ride the same bus. My children will. This is all so fascinating to think about as I’ve never known anything except my own experience.

It has been fascinating to see the gentle care my 2 year old has for her brother. This crazy kid, who gets mad and will smack me and her mother and throw tantrums that would make a dictator mad, turns into a softie when she “speaks” to and about her brother. She’ll shoosh you if you are too loud or tell you that he’s sleeping. I don’t know where she got this from – it’s like an innate part of their being offspring of the same parents.

Now onto my own sister…travel is going to be difficult for Becky and I the next few years. Heck, even a trip to Target takes twice as long as it used to. This weekend, K came to visit with her husband to meet her new nephew. She’s now got a niece and a nephew! My 30 year old sister is an AUNT. Anyway, seeing them together is just…beyond words. And E saying their names in her little voice was just the pay off of so many books read, picture albums looked at and just….time. Time together.

I so look forward to watching all these bonds grow – for the rest of my life.

In the summer filled with superheroes at the movie theater, sometimes think about the ones in your every day life. St. Thomas Midtown hospital has some of the most amazing nurses in their baby unit- pre and post. I honestly don’t know how they hire such perfect people for this job. I mean, grace and humor at 3 am?

We had repeat encounters with a few people in anesthesiology but also and met the wonderful Ashley, Kristin, Paige and Karen who all made our worries less and our second birthing experience a marvel. I can’t imagine two more different visits. It’s weird that we may never see them again but they had such a huge influence on this important time in our lives. 

Thank you to all my nurse friends, no matter what you practice. You deserve to be on the big screen….
Update: gotta add Leslie to the list