I’m watching my 23 month old niece all day this Friday by myself and honestly, I’m a bit nervous.

I love spending time with Ava, but other than a couple of hours when she was much younger, I haven’t been left alone with her. Even that time, I checked and made sure my neighbor (she has two kids) was going to be home, just in case.

That means if Ava gets upset, hungry, frustrated, needs to use the restroom, needs her diaper changed if she didn’t make it to the restroom, or has any other issue little kids have, there is always someone with more experience around to help.

At the end of the day, there is never any pressure on “silly Uncle” (her words, not mine) to do anything but PLAY and have FUN!

I like it that way.

By the way, I have no kids.

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Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I dislike kids at all. In fact, I tend to think of Ava as I would my own. She has her own room in my house that sits empty, waiting to be decorated when she is old enough to pick out furniture. I made sure her room has a nice walk in closet so that she can store all of her “uncle and auntie” clothing and shoes that she piles up along the way.

I like kids…or rather I love Ava.

My issue, my sense of nervousness comes from the fact that I DON’T FEEL PREPARED!

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I like to be prepared. Scratch that, I LOVE to be prepared.

I like going to the court for hours and hoisting shot after shot. I like dribbling behind my back until it becomes second nature. I like taking on one opponent after the other and dissecting their games. My opponent’s tricks, or go to moves are truly the wealth gained on my end from our battles.

I enjoy all of the burn that goes into the preparation of my eventual match-up with the great one, Michael Jordan.

After all, the late John Wooden said it best:

“Failing to Prepare, is preparing to FAIL.”

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How can I possibly prepare for this Friday with my energetic, always happy, 33-inch tall niece??

I can’t.

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You Can’t Always Be Prepared

As much as I’d like to control things, the truth is, I can’t always be prepared.

Some things, like watching Ava, I’ve just got to put everything I’ve got into it and do my best.

The rational side of me knows that people young and old are having and watching kids every day and they figure it out, so it can’t be all that difficult.

Life and success is kind of the same way!

People young and old are figuring it out each and every day. To the millionaire it’s easy to make money. To the mother and father, it’s not a big deal to watch a youngster for a day. To the pro-blogger, growing subscribers is second nature.

Just as there are “how to” raise a child books, there are how to make money, how to get subscribers, and the list goes on, but YOU CAN NEVER TRULY UNDERSTAND what it takes until you make the decision to DO.

You can read all the books and manuals you’d like, but you’ll never truly be prepared.

The trick is to turn that nervous energy into excitement and productive positivity and set the world ablaze!

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Me and Ava

So this Friday, while my bro and his wife are cruising through some Caribbean locale, enjoying the sun, tropical fruit, and waves, Ava and I will be shutting down the town!

“Silly Uncle” may not be the most prepared, but like all things I do, I will give MY ALL!

Watch out, this guy is about to show a 23-month old what Michael Jordan was all about! Ok, ok, so maybe we won’t spend the whoooole day watching MJ videos, backtracked with her favorite artist Justin Bieber, but with her being 23-months old and Jordan being the reason 23 even exists, we’ve got to at least watch, “Come Fly With Me”!

I kid, I kid.

GET OUT THERE AND DO!!!

Oh, and if you happen to be around Central Florida, stop by. I’m about to be the Michael Jordan of “silly Uncles.”