baby toys

We’re not sure how it happened, but the kid who was to have no electronic, obnoxious, plastic toys spends his days (and ours) surrounded by them. It may be time to start over, reset the default with a complete toy moratorium, and start admitting them back into our world only after a meaningful test of exacting scrutiny. Considerations will be made for toys that:

• Involve a useful skill or some productive activity
• Appeal to a specific developmental interest worthy of reinforcement
• Exclude advertisement for any future purchase
• Do not irritate parents to the point of visible or vocal frustration

señor snow

Friday night delivered three inches of snowy fluff, and we were quick to plop our angel into a clear patch of it. You questioned the decision.

Señor Snow is your first frosty friend, and his chapped, wry grin is a clear tribute to you. He weathered Saturday well, with only minor cosmetic touches (and some structural re-engineering in the late afternoon). Today’s sun dictates a different tale of rhinoplasty, collagen injections, and double eyeball replacement. We’ve tried to make him comfortable in his final hours. Mucho gusto, Señor.

neck muscles

They made their first appearance on sunday. We are very excited.

blow-out at the ok corral

I was on my way to work today, listening to morning edition, thinking about all the non-baby related tasks that would consume my attention until dinner, when Susannah called. Can you come back home?

It’s an interesting question, and may get to the heart of the conflict modern humans feel as they juggle multiple priorities, societally predisposed to pursue a profession and the financial gain it brings, while knowing their deathbed reflection will highlight the neglect and virtual abandonment of their families. Can I come home? Sure I can. I can also fly to Kathmandu for an egg mcmuffin, but there’s some inconvenience to consider. Why do you ask?

The reason for the request turned out to be an EPE, an extraordinary poop event, defined by the Fotopulos Englishish Dictionary (FED) as any incident involving mammalian excrement and requiring at least four adult human hands to restore civil order. It was a blow-out of unprecedented proportions. Oliver is, of course, very young and precedents, while fast-accumulating, in real numbers are still quite few. Please note Oliver’s visible delight with the (his) production.

the elusive grin

Susannah finally captured Smidge in all his sweetness.