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 [...]

I’ve always prided myself on being a pretty independent guy. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child; maybe it’s because I grew up in the home of at least one rabble-rousing progressive who’s never shy about sharing his opinions (yes, Dad, I’m talking about you; feel free to comment now).
My daughter, however, makes me look [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]