The life and times of the kids, Solack: One year

Dear Dylan, Hudson and Sloane,

Congratulations! You've survived Mommy and Daddy's first year of parenthood. It's been the most wonderful year of our lives; I can't even remember what life was like before you came. We've all learned a lot these past 52 weeks. That's one of the great things about life, kiddos; you never stop learning. In honor of your first year, I'm sharing with you some life rules that I've learned these past 365 days. You are welcome in advance.

1. You will NEVER be too old to need your mommy and daddy.

This is the most important lesson I've learned this year. I cannot emphasize this rule enough. You will always need us, and we will always be here for you.

2. Good things come to those who work hard.

Eventually you'll hear the common euphemism; "Good things come to those who wait". While patience is indeed a virtue, a good work ethic will get you almost anywhere. Life is hard. You must work harder.

3. You absolutely must have good manners.

"Please" and "Thank You" are in fact the magic words. Actually, consider this rule 2a: Work hard and be nice to people. I can't tell you how far having good manners will take you in life.

4. A good night's rest will fix, or help you solve, almost any problem.

Unfortunately, it took me 8 months of your lives to learn this one, but I'm here now to let you know. Got yourself in a conundrum? Sleep on it. Got a headache? Sleep it off. Too many things on your mind? (Write your worries down) Then sleep on it. Never underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. No dilemma seems as bad the next day.

5. You will make mistakes.

They will not define you, how you recover from them will.

6. Establish a good daily routine.

It creates a nice rhythm for your day and helps eliminate unpleasant surprises.

7. Speaking of surprises: know that chaos will ensue and disrupt your routine from time to time.

It is imperative that you find a way to operate in chaotic situations. Panicking will get you nowhere. Take a few deep breaths and continue on.

8. At some point(s) in your lives the universe will issue you a challenge you don’t think you can handle.

Others will doubt your ability to handle it as well. You must accept said challenge(s), find a way to rise to the occasion and silence the doubters. After all, if you aren’t in over your head, how will you know just how tall you are?

Thank you for the most incredible 52 weeks of our lives. We love you more than you’ll ever know!

To the moon and back,

Mommy and Daddy