Liking - Another Lesson I Learned From My Toddler

The other morning, my husband and I woke up to our son listing off the things he likes: "I like guacamole [he says huacadole]. I like fire truck. I like Finn [our dog]. I like playgroup. I like Oma." And so on.

Later that same day, a friend of ours commented, "You know, when someone sits next to me on the subway or in a meeting, I can instantly think of something I don't like about that person before they even open their mouth. But it's rare for me to instantly think of something I like about someone I don't know. And it's rare for me to even tell my friends the things I like about them."

I agreed with what he said. I too am guilty of finding myself next to someone on the subway and finding something I don't like about them. While I often give compliments I don't know that I make a point to tell the people in life what I like about them. And I rarely ask the people in my life what they like.

I started to wonder, when it does switch from waking up as a two year old already thinking of the things you like to adulthood when you wake up thinking of the things you don't?

So chalk this up as another lesson I learned from my toddler.

Here's what I like/love about my life:

1.These boys

2. Living around the corner from my sister. Do you know we don't even have to cross the street to get to each other's house?

3. My morning cup of coffee. Especially when I can enjoy it in bed or alone while the rest of the house is still sleeping and quiet.

4. Stacks of library books. Even though I never get around to reading all of them, I just like to have them around.

5. My current bedside table that Husband found on the street for free (with my stack of books on top).

Other cool items we've recently found for free that I also love: a cool vintage lamp from the 30s, Husband found a brand new pair of Puma sneakers in my size (crazy, huh?),  trucks for Fyo to play with in the yard and boats for him to play with in the bath. I can't help but love the hand-me-down. I find it satisfying for some reason.

6. These last few weeks of pregnancy I like/am grateful for yoga, cooler weather so we can actually enjoy outside and walking,  our new organic mattress (it's so comfortable!), my latest haircut, hot bathes, my hot water bottle, popsicles, sparkling lemonade, and long afternoon naps.

7. I like that my child still takes naps, and when I nap with him, we can sleep up to three hours. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!

8. Long meals with friends and good conversations.

9. Our garden

10. Finishing satisfying projects (finishing unsatisfying projects is a relief, the satisfying ones, I enjoy the sense of accomplishment.)