Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. It was so nice to both be home and get to hang around with Ella all day. It’s also really nice that Grandma’s going to watch her tomorrow night so we can go out to dinner and a movie! We started our morning by going into to Ella’s room together to get her when she woke up. Well, she must have known it was a special day because this baby was beyond ecstatic to see us. She was cheering and jumping up and down in her crib and doing what Steve calls her “Maniac” running in place (if you’ve ever seen Flashdance, you know what he’s talking about ;)) She made me realize that we have so much to learn from her, so here are some of Ella’s life lessons:

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  Great each day with as much enthusiasm as you can muster
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  When you correctly answer a question, it is perfectly acceptable to scream with joy, applaud yourself and then be sure that the rest of the people in the room are applauding for you as well
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  SPONSOR
  

  
  
  
  When someone’s making you unhappy, it is okay to scowl, but not okay to throw things
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  Stop eating when you are full
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  Sometimes the best way to end a day is to cuddle with someone you love and watch a movie
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  When you don’t want to do something, it’s better to say “no, no, no” than grunt repeatedly
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  Shopping is really fun when you get to pick out things and someone else is buying
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  Take the time to smell the flowers…all of the flowers on the property, even when your parents are in a rush and need you to get in the car NOW
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  When something you’re wearing is bothering you, just take it off!
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  At the end of the day it’s good to be dirty, sticky, tired and needing a good bubble bath
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  When you want to be held for a long time, just pull up your knees and act like you have no legs, so you can’t be put down
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  If you love someone and are happy to see them, let them know by smiling, waving, dancing and blowing kisses

More Reading:
Life With Ella - Boardwalk Baby
Life With Ella - Becoming More Affectionate
Life With Ella - Momma's Girl

Photo © Rebecca Hess 2007