Parenting lessons from the thon

I ran my first-ever marathon this past weekend, and while I burned through the 26.2-mile course, my saint of a wife was left with the job of shuttling baby L (and my folks) from one stop to another to cheer me on.
Looking back on the experience, Powergirl shared with me a few pointers for other [...]

Out, out, damn spot

L discovered something new this morning: beauty marks. After she spotted one on my shoulder, she tried to remove it and keep it for herself.
This episode followed a morning earlier this week in which L attempted to “clean” my chest of chest hair. That first exchange fascinated me; today’s beauty mark drama nearly prompted me [...]

The vampire

So what if I’m counting down the days until the next episode of “The Vampire Diaries” on the CW? I’ve got my own little vampire right here at home.
My vampire is no Stefan Salvatore; instead, she’s L. Tonight, before bedtime, the little sucker decided it was high time to “turn me” into a vampire forever. [...]

Beaten up

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 [...]

Remember the hot cup

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 [...]

An unexpected bonus

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 [...]

Gifting 2.0

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 [...]

Go away, BGM

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 [...]

Househusbands, unite

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, [...]

Screw ‘Mommy & Me’

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 [...]