A Happy Homelife
“Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old: Weeks 9-10
A friend posted a very cute picture of her toddler on Instagram the other day. Then immediately wrote a self-deprecating joke like “Before you think this is perfect…” and said she pooped on her right after. It struck me, her need to belittle sharing her “picture-perfect” life.
Maybe it struck me because it was on Instagram, the land of the selfie and humblebrag. Or maybe because I do it too? In thinking of this very post over the weekend and what I’d title it, I wondered if claiming “A Happy Homelife” was showy or boasting. Did it make it sound as if everything was “perfect?”
Because it is not. We are not the perfect as-seen-on-TV family. But then, what family is? Okay, maybe the Obamas, but not including them… every family has their quirks, insecurities, bad days, tiffs, tantrums and a laundry list of other real problems. If we lived by comparing ourselves to everyone else’s standards, would anyone really be happy?
Speaking of happy: Last week, I put together the audio version of Interview with My 4 Year-Old Daughter. Hear my daughter’s (and my) first podcast:
And ICYMI, binge the first four episodes of “Pull Quotes,” read:
A Personality: (Weeks 1-2) | A Flair for the Dramatic: (Weeks 3-4) An Active Imagination: (Wks 5-6) | A Growing Independence (Wks 7-8)
Here are my daughter’s latest “Pull Quotes” to enjoy:
Monday, Feb 26
“I turned off my batteries so I don’t remember.”
Tuesday, Feb 27
Daddy: Did you see the moon? Daughter: I was controlling the moon.
Wednesday, Feb 28
Daughter: What are these? Daddy: Those are your nipples. Daughter: Are your nipples hairy? Daddy: Yes. Daughter: Are mommy’s nipples hairy?
Thursday, Mar 1
Daughter: (singing) The mommy on the bus says meow meow meow… Daddy: The mommy’s a kitty? Daughter: Yes. (singing) The auntie on the bus says meow meow meow… Daddy: The auntie is a kitty too? Daughter: Yeah, they are cat sisters.
Friday, Mar 2
Mommy: Lemme see something. (checking pants) What?! Daddy: Is that on backwards? Daughter: I like it backwards.
Saturday, Mar 3
(on Lionel Richie’s loud “oowh” in “Easy”) “We don’t know if he hurt himself or maybe he saw something shiny.”
Sunday, Mar 4
“You have to paint a house after you built it.”
Monday, Mar 5
Mommy: Where’d you learn that? Daughter: I just done it by myself… This time you do it lonely and nobody helping you.
Tuesday, Mar 6
(playing piano) “This is the sun and this is the lightning.”
Wednesday, Mar 7
Daughter: Is this new underwear? Daddy: Yeah, totally new. “Moana” new. Motu-new. Daughter: …wee.
Thursday, Mar 8
“Take a breath. Count to 4.”
Friday, Mar 9
“I thought this was the last one but but but but but then there was another one.”
Saturday, Mar 10
(how I should paint her nails) “Purple, pink, pink, purple, pink, pink…”
Sunday, Mar 11
Daughter: After that where are we going to go today? Mommy: I don’t know if we have any plans. Daughter: But I do.
There are plenty of moments that I am ever so thankful for what I have—even just this past weekend while I was drawing, my daughter was playing quietly and my wife was playing on the piano (a skill I have only just discovered, as if she needs more ways to captivate me). It was, to me, perfect. And I am becoming better about living in those moments with that happiness and enjoying them without feeling the need to dismiss them.
My wife and I make herculean efforts as parents to care for, to entertain, to educate, to listen to, to provide for and give our daughter the best life we can possibly give her. Do we make mistakes? Of course. Can we be better? Sure. Are we perfect? No. Will we always strive to laugh, hug, dance, snuggle, enjoy, cherish, respect and love one another? A resounding YES.
I believe that counts enough to consider it “A Happy Homelife.” And there’s only two other people whose opinion on that matters. (No, not the Obamas.)
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it… 👏🏽
For bonus quotes, Subscribe to the series (now available on desktop too!):
Editor’s post-script: Read the next in this series below:A Sweet Heart