Few things are as satisfying as watching your toddler be fed a taste of his own medicine. The other day I was in the kitchen when I heard the two boys playing together. C wanted to pretend that he was the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, and he wanted his little brother to join in […]

Our bedtime ritual is pretty well established. We read stories on the couch, ending with a “good night” book. Then I shout “All aboard the bedtime train” and we race to C’s bedroom. “All aboard the bedtime train” is actually a song I created that is syncopated to the point of being almost indistinguishable from […]

In front of the Corpus Christi Aquarium, there is a series of rather fascinating water features. One combines with statues to look like it’s the blow hole of a whale you’re walking on. Another makes it look as though you’re walking through a waterfall. A third is a whale’s tale that appears to be in […]

The perils of being a waitress around little ones…

I recently took C to see a production of Beauty and the Beast at a local community theater. Actually, a bunch of us went, all with our toddlers in tow. The show was an imitation of the Disney version, complete with singing crockery. On the way over, of course, I’d explained to him that we use […]

I’m as much into “imaginative play” as the next person. Sometimes, it can get a little carried away, though. The other day I stuck my head in to see why C was taking so long in the bathroom. “Everything okay?” He looked at me, appearing to be on the verge of tears, “Oh no!” I’ve […]

A few years back, before N was born, we went to visit some family in San Antonio, Texas. During the trip we visited the Sea World there. We’ve had mixed results at Sea World in Orlando, but that’s what everyone wanted to do. Besides, how do you explain about the cows? Of course, it rained. It […]

When it comes to nicknames, I’ve really gotten the short end of the stick in our family. During the Tarzan phase, for example, the kids dubbed themselves Tarzan and Baby Tarzan. When asked, they promptly named their momma Jane, and I was dubbed the Mean Monkey. Ever since, I’ve worked pretty hard to lose the […]

I’m not exactly the handiest guy around the house. I mean, sure, I’m as tempted by do-it-yourself projects as the next guy. It’s just that I’m not very good at them. This is one area of life, by the way, where having a couple of inquisitive toddlers around puts you at a significant disadvantage. For example, […]

The other day J was on the phone in the bedroom when the boys started leading me on a new game they were developing. It consisted of sneaking around the house until one or the other of them shouted “Oh no! A mean troll!”. At which point, we’d all yell and run back to a […]