Like I wrote a few years back, it’s inconveniently difficult to distill a single year in a child’s life into one or two clear themes for narrative purposes. Except when it’s not. Sometimes, it’s actually super easy. Like this year. The title may have already given it away, but let’s reiterate: Horses. Horse. So much … Continue reading Year of the Horse
A certain respiratory virus finally caught up to my family and pushed our birthday party and blogging plans back a few weeks, but we got off easy in the end and now we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. So… One more month and change, and Julia will have successfully completed first grade. No fuss, … Continue reading First Grade
So. Those twelve months just happened. Pandemic. Social distancing. Global recession. Western democracy in crisis. The climate almost at its recorded warmest. Toilet paper shortages. … Preschool has been great, though! Great. According to Julia, she’s enjoyed preschool more than day care, and she loved day care. The first few days were a bit rough, … Continue reading Preschool
I was perfectly happy with just the one child, to be honest. We’d already resolved to keep it at just the one, my wife and I. I was especially happy about the fact that Julia had grown independent enough to manage most daily stuff on her own. Brushing her teeth. Putting on clothes (and constantly … Continue reading Maikki
She's five already? Yup. She's five. I'm starting to feel a measure of kinship with the countless parents I've heard complain about their kids growing up too fast. I say "a measure", because there's no "too fast" in there for me, at least not yet. My daughter keeps getting smarter and more independent, she keeps … Continue reading Growing up
Child development inconveniently does not follow a neat yearly schedule, so it's difficult to distill a single year into one or two clear themes for storytelling (or blogging) purposes. But two things do nonetheless stand out from my daughter's fourth year: (1) fierce drive to learn and do things on her own without help and … Continue reading Doing things on your own
Year 3 was to year 2 mostly what year 2 was to year 1. More fun and much more interesting. What it was not, though, was easier. Our daughter gave us plenty of attitude and pushback in the bargain (and, naturally, continues to do so). But however annoying or infuriating this developmental phase can sometimes be, it's also utterly awesome: … Continue reading Personhood
Year two has been easier and more interesting. Babies may be cute, but toddlers do stuff. Fun, weird, clever, adorable, annoying stuff. I call it an upgrade. And when your child finally starts talking with you, even if it’s just to tell you to go away so she can poop in peace, or to ask you … Continue reading Toddlerhood
What is this? Why is my muffin on fire? New. Exciting. Tiring. Different. Helpless. Lucky. Happy. Developing. Small. Strong. Interesting. Giving. Awesome. Hard. Annoying. Delightful. Sweet. Loving. Time-consuming. Smelly. Messy. Funny. Stressful. Heartbreaking. Heartwarming. Beautiful... We got some words now. I cannot say whether I'm sad or happy that the year is over, I'm guessing … Continue reading 1 Year
Our daughter, a healthy baby girl... I got no words. "CONGRATULATIONS! You gave birth to a girl!" PS. My dear wife's pain tolerance and sheer willpower? Fucking hardcore.
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