avatarErnio Hernandez

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at school?” Daughter: No. I just thought of it myself.</p><h2 id="62c3">Thursday, July 12</h2><p id="d2b1" type="7">“There’s no such thing as the end of the world.”</p><h2 id="3653">Friday, July 13</h2><p id="275d" type="7">“I’m a spider.”</p><h2 id="0c71">Saturday, July 14</h2><p id="7c1d" type="7">“You’re going to look beautiful in a second… You’re beautiful.”</p><h2 id="50d5">Sunday, July 15</h2><p id="3059" type="7">Daughter: Pretend you’re my daddy. Daddy: That may be hard. What do daddies do? Daughter: They drive the car and they stop the car. And they buckle babies.</p><p id="a75e">I recall holding her one night as a baby, it was one of those late-night feedings (after we discovered her reflux and were told to keep her upright for at least half hour). I had burped her already and she was dozing off in the same way she always had. But she turned her head, gazing off, as if toward someone else in the room.</p><p id="11d6">Mommy was asleep in our bedroom on the side opposite her gaze. I was alone with her and the only thing in her sightline was an empty mantle around an unused fireplace. She began to smile, coo even. Looking at her, I could have sworn she stole my father’s slanted smile. He passed away the year before she was born. You can imagine why I would remember that night.</p><p id="bc68">Even on days when I’m down or downright exhausted, she has a way of perking up the corners of my mouth.</p><p id="59f6">It’s only fair I return the favor.</p><h2 id="e001">If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it… 👏🏽</h2><div id="2a3e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/daddy-nandez-327b3bba4b5b"> <div> <div> <h2>Daddy ‘nandez’</h2> <div><h3>a selection of stories and more on fatherhood by Ernio Hernandez</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*sRrFcKkoHkfZKxWnFruZ9Q.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="a4a9"><pre>Editor’s post-script: <span class="hljs-keyword">Read</span> the <span class="hljs-keyword">next</span> in <span class="hljs-keyword">this</span> series below:</pre></div><div id="bf34"><pre><span class="hljs-selector-tag">A</span> <span class="hljs-selector-tag">Strong</span> Will</pre></div><div id="70e0" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-strong-will-5cbe8db465b8"> <div> <div> <h2>A Strong Will</h2> <div><h3>“Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old: Weeks 29-30</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*1r-84SuVvBqBWZ3b5TBlPA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="019b">You may also enjoy:</h2><div id="3580" class="link-block"> <a href="https://r

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eadmedium.com/gravitational-pull-ff5ff11c5998"> <div> <div> <h2>Gravitational Pull</h2> <div><h3>On the ride home from yet another birthday party this weekend — before one more later that night — my kid fell asleep…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*VwRKTojCym3ovoOhxpKAYg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="b9b0" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-got-you-e8bb560b9739"> <div> <div> <h2>“I got you”</h2> <div><h3>Not your typical “those three words.”</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*2BZFKXDXTVPDg0p2Y6Hd5A.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="2d28" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/papa-bear-4dc34a8c81"> <div> <div> <h2>Papa Bear</h2> <div><h3>Every night before I go to bed, I walk over to the front door and make sure it’s locked. It usually is. But I still do…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*kxu8ab_kOPIqEPC_HnFIvQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="8411">Full “Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old list:</h2><p id="8a57"><b>😀<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-personality-5a473cd856b3"> A Personality (Weeks 1-2</a>) 😱 <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-flair-for-the-dramatic-bf77bee9fff2">A Flair for the Dramatic (3-4</a>) 👹 <a href="https://readmedium.com/an-active-imagination-5396b874ee1a">An Active Imagination (5-6</a>) 🙋🏻<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-growing-independence-ccac380927a2">A Growing Independence (7-8</a>) 🏡 <a href="https://readmedium.com/e95fe351a63d">A Happy Homelife (9-10</a>) 💝<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-sweet-heart-df7f137fcad6">A Sweet Heart (11-12</a>) 👀 <a href="https://readmedium.com/a5868ca74412">Her Mother’s Eyes (13-14</a>) 🚀<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-sense-of-adventure-7e533e1e6db">A Sense of Adventure (15-16</a>) 💃 <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-kick-in-her-step-d73a44a88722">A Kick in Her Step (17-18</a>) 🎤 <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-song-on-her-lips-f64b42cb1e21">A Song on Her Lips (19-20)</a> </b>🌟<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-star-in-the-making-e32b92018ad6"><b>A Star in the Making (21-22</b></a><b>) 🌀<a href="https://readmedium.com/a-swirl-in-her-hair-bb0d8f8d1e41">A Swirl in Her Hair (23-24</a>) 👂🏼<a href="https://readmedium.com/an-ear-for-language-889a04f77699">An Ear for Language (25-26</a>)</b></p></article></body>

Her Father’s Smirk

“Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old: Weeks 27-28

In my recent story “How To Be a Father… (continued),” I doubled down on my original tenet of fatherly advice that I have “one job: Make her laugh every day.” I’d say I nail this one most days. Though lately, she gets me right back.

There’s been a noticeable shift in these “pull quotes” — a lot less mispronunciations or amalgams of words and a lot more funny just because of her own growing sense of humor. With a silly father and hilarious mother, her wit was inevitable — or at least a weapon of necessity.

I love making her smile and hearing her laugh. I love the little shared jokes we relive on repeat. And I’m enjoying watching her comedic act take shape too.

ICMYI: catch up now with the “Pull Quotes” full list below.

Here are the latest in her own words:

Monday, July 2

“Perfect timing!”

Tuesday, July 3

“Shh, I’m gonna watch this.”

Wednesday, July 4

“I passed out again.”

Thursday, July 5

“When your heart is broken, you’re sad and when your heart is into all little pieces, you’re dead.”

Friday, July 6

Daughter: What is that for? Daddy: That’s an air freshener for her car to make it smell nice. Daughter: Yeah, just in case anyone farts in here.

Saturday, July 7

“Daddy, I know why you’re doing this fake crying.”

Sunday, July 8

“For real?”

uber cute

Monday, July 9

“Let’s skidaddo.” (skedaddle)

Tuesday, July 10

“If you do a good job, then you earn it.”

Wednesday, July 11

Daughter: Cinco de Mayo! Daddy: What made you say that? Daughter: I do not know. Daddy: Did you talk about it at school?” Daughter: No. I just thought of it myself.

Thursday, July 12

“There’s no such thing as the end of the world.”

Friday, July 13

“I’m a spider.”

Saturday, July 14

“You’re going to look beautiful in a second… You’re beautiful.”

Sunday, July 15

Daughter: Pretend you’re my daddy. Daddy: That may be hard. What do daddies do? Daughter: They drive the car and they stop the car. And they buckle babies.

I recall holding her one night as a baby, it was one of those late-night feedings (after we discovered her reflux and were told to keep her upright for at least half hour). I had burped her already and she was dozing off in the same way she always had. But she turned her head, gazing off, as if toward someone else in the room.

Mommy was asleep in our bedroom on the side opposite her gaze. I was alone with her and the only thing in her sightline was an empty mantle around an unused fireplace. She began to smile, coo even. Looking at her, I could have sworn she stole my father’s slanted smile. He passed away the year before she was born. You can imagine why I would remember that night.

Even on days when I’m down or downright exhausted, she has a way of perking up the corners of my mouth.

It’s only fair I return the favor.

If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it… 👏🏽

Editor’s post-script: Read the next in this series below:
A Strong Will

You may also enjoy:

Full “Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old list:

😀 A Personality (Weeks 1-2) 😱 A Flair for the Dramatic (3-4) 👹 An Active Imagination (5-6) 🙋🏻A Growing Independence (7-8) 🏡 A Happy Homelife (9-10) 💝A Sweet Heart (11-12) 👀 Her Mother’s Eyes (13-14) 🚀A Sense of Adventure (15-16) 💃 A Kick in Her Step (17-18) 🎤 A Song on Her Lips (19-20) 🌟A Star in the Making (21-22) 🌀A Swirl in Her Hair (23-24) 👂🏼An Ear for Language (25-26)

Parenting
Fatherhood
Family
Love
Smile
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