- I pray regularly for my child that she would grow to be a Godly woman.
- When I get frustrated with something I notice that my kid will detect that and is more easily irritated and frustrated and thus more likely to cry.
- I need to always be prepared with plenty of wipes and diapers as I never know when I will need them (or how many I will need).
- Have the food ready before I sit her down to eat. She doesn't like waiting for her food.
- Don't put the bowl of food within her reach when trying to feed her. This can have disasterous results.
- I need to be careful which funny noises I make with my mouth as she may just pick up on it and imitate me...which can seem rude to others (who don't know that she learned it from her father).
- Baby socks don't stay on her feet no matter how good the elastic. The same seems to go for shoes.
- It is important for me to randomly take pictures of my daughter and send them to my wife. It will put an instant smile on her face.
- If my daughter is sleeping then I should let her sleep if at all possible. If I wake her she will likely be up for some time and may not be in a good mood.
- Baby clothe sizes are very odd and can be confusing. Some say newborn when they fit a one year old and some one year olds are too small for a 6 month old. Obviously this depends on how big the baby is.
- God likes to test our patience and my daughter is one medium in which God does this.
- It is important for me to get ready for where I am going a bit earlier than I used to so that I can still be on time. My daughter should not be an excuse for me to be late.
- I should not leave my daughter's food (or my own) sitting at the edge of the coffee table. Otherwise it will likely be even longer before she gets to eat as I will be cleaning up a big stain on the floor!
- If I put my daughter in some sort of Twins attire for her first Twins game and take a picture...I may just win a prize! :)
- I need to always check the diaper bag before leaving the house for the essentials I may need.
- I need to cherish every minute I have with my daughter. She is changing so quickly.
- I want to always be open to allowing others to hold my daughter (and even encourage it) so she is used to going to others and doesn't always cling to me or my wife.
- It is okay for me to not feel guilty about enjoying a break from watching my child.
- It is very important for me to have some great friends who are willing to baby sit as it is always nice to be able to go on a date with my wife and without my daughter.
I'm sure the life lessons I learn this next year will look quite different from this list, but I am looking forward to learning and growing as a father.
