Today was L’s nine-month birthday—a major milestone considering her short time here on Earth. I was lucky enough to get to spend the better part of the day solo with my baby girl while my wife tended to some schoolwork.
The two of us started the day over breakfast at our favorite local Greasy Spoon. L [...]

The upside of L’s inexorable development is excitement over seeing how strong she gets each and every day. The downside: sometimes, she inadvertently beats the crap out of us.
To wit: As I write this, I’ve got a cut on my chin from when she whacked me with a toy, a sore knee from racing to [...]

Through nine months of parenthood, I’d say I love almost everything about this new adventure. One thing I do miss about my pre-parent life: copious amounts of piping hot coffee.
It’s not that I’ve stopped drinking java now that I’m a dad—on the contrary, I probably drink more of it now than ever before (something has [...]

If this morning’s showing is any indication of how I’ll be as a disciplinarian, it’s clear that L is going to walk all over me—especially during her teenage years.
Let me explain. Every morning after L wakes up, I stagger into her room, take her out of her sleep sack and change her diaper (we call [...]

A normal nap for L lasts about 30 minutes. Today, however, she slept for nearly 75. I’m certainly not complaining—there’s nothing on Earth like some unexpected free time. That said, I have to admit: I was at a bit of a loss for what to do with those 45 minutes I didn’t think I’d have.
So [...]

We grownups take for granted just how challenging it is to eat solid food. The chewing, the swallowing; these are tough tasks—especially for a 9-month-old baby who’s just getting the hang of things.
Powergirl and I were reminded of this fact this morning, when, while eating one of those “melt-in-your-mouth” cereal snacks, L, for a brief [...]

Blankets are nice, outfits are fun and stuffed animals are cute, but the best kinds of gifts for us new parents are the practical ones.
Granted, practical gifts usually are pretty boring. They’re not the kinds of stuff that makes grandmas and grandpas (or doting friends, for that matter) giddy with excitement. They’re not the [...]

Because we humans are never too young to establish preferences, L made clear today that she already has a favorite book: “Go Away, Big Green Monster,” by Ed Emberley.
Forget the egotistical Dave Eggers–this book is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. The subject of this one: a big monster (yes, he is green, as the [...]

I prefer the term “stay-at-home dad” to “househusband,” but the truth remains: I’m married, I’m a parent and I stay home with my kid for a good part of every day.
Perhaps this is why (at a friend’s suggestion) I read with great interest a column in today’s edition of The New York Times. The column, [...]

In an effort to get L to socialize with other 9-month-olds on a regular basis, Powergirl and I have been searching for playgroup activities to which I can take the baby during the day.
Other cities—New York among them—offer classes specifically designed for dads who spend most of the day at home with their youngsters. The [...]