Lesson 4

You are growing like a weed! Already 3 months old, and you are wearing some 6 month outfits. You have 1 full tooth in, and another on the way. You're going to have your front 2 bottom teeth first. You haven't been too fussy about it, in fact, I didn't realize you were teething until I saw inside of your mouth. Though, it did explain why you've been wanting to chew on a bottle or pacifier when you go to sleep. You've never really wanted a pacifier before. You're also laughing and talking more. You're keeping us entertained with the way you babble at us. Right now, you're laying in the floor under your gym smiling at a toy and talking to it, almost as if it's talking back. There's a new push about teaching your children the same lessons you would if they were of the opposite sex. I think I've done a pretty good job of that, but I thought for a long time about what I would say differently to you if you were a woman. Some of those things really are specific to sex, like how to dry your hair the fastest or how awesome it is to shave your legs and sleep in a freshly made bed. However, I did come up with a couple that I might have seen more as "girl" lessons. Which brings me to lesson 4...

As you get older, you're going to be doing things and going places on your own. Always be mindful of your surroundings. I hope that I get you enrolled into a karate class, I think it would be an excellent way for you to learn how to defend yourself. Your dad thinks I'm paranoid, but there are bad people in the world, and you need to avoid them. Whenever you can, park in a well lit area, always carry your keys with them sticking out between your knuckles. That way, you can have some extra damage if you have to hit an attacker. Always lock your doors and watch around you when you are in a parking lot. Make sure your home is secured, especially at night. Always let someone know when/where you're going on trips. I know I sound like a worrier in this lesson, and as I've said, I am. However, I don't think you can ever go wrong making sure you're able to avoid or protect yourself in dangerous situations.

Lesson 3

My God, you're growing like a weed. Last month, you had your 2 month check up and you were almost 14 pounds. We've finally moved and I think we're settled. Aside from a couple boxes of your clothes, I have everything unpacked. You've been doing a lot of screaming and crying lately. Nothing that is unusual, you've just embraced the "purple crying" stage for all its worth. When you're not screaming, you're adorable though. You're finally starting to coo and almost giggle. I took a video of you listening to your brother tell you a racing story the other day, and you were talking right back to him. The two of you are already pretty buddies. Which brings me to lesson 3...


Your brother is going to be your brother forever. Long after your Dad and I are gone, you'll have each other. Make sure you remember that. Spend time together, make sure you don't let life keep you from staying close, even if you're hundreds of miles apart. If you live close to each other, make sure your kids play together and know their cousins. It will make their family ties a lot stronger and will always ensure they have someone to play with and talk to.