And Another Delay
March 19th, 2013 | adoption waiting and wanting kids
Our five-year-old has a reliable reaction to any surprise in her routine.Something causes us to reverse activity 1 and activity 2. The place is closed. They’re out of her favorite X, Y, or Z. She is not pleased. Sometimes she puts on a grim face and powers through it. Sometimes there’s wailing. But it’s never fun.
Ready for Fatherhood: I Did Not Steal This
February 28th, 2013 | adoption
We had three social workers visiting the kids one afternoon this week, and I was a mess. I realize that it’s time to deal with my authority issues.
The Joy of Water
February 26th, 2013 | daily life
One of the great joys of growing up in the Southwest was swimming. There were quite a few pools in our middle-class neighborhood and we were lucky to have one. Most summers I was in the water nearly every day. There were pool parties and Marco Polo, cake and ice cream for my brother’s birthday, sparklers on the fourth of July.
2-Year-Old Lady MacBeth
February 12th, 2013 | parenting
Of all the tantrum-inducing opportunities life affords, I could never have predicted that our terrible two-year old would focus so much on hand washing.
Loving “Outdoor World” and Other Fake Places
February 2nd, 2013 | daily life
I’ve driven by the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World megastore on the way to the Sierras several times, but only last week did I stop. Wow! Now I’ll never not stop. I didn’t realize it’s not really a sporting goods store, but a themepark.
First Snow
January 29th, 2013 | parenting
Just the thought of it gave me chills. It thrilled and excited everyone who heard about it. We were taking the kids up to the Sierras to see their first snow.
Essay on Camp
January 19th, 2013 | daily life parenting
No, this isn’t about Susan Sontag. It’s about how the kids change so gradually, even glacially, and suddenly something blindsides me and everything feels like it’s happening so fast.
Waiting
January 10th, 2013 | adoption waiting and wanting kids
In what seemed like the endless time between being approved as foster dads and getting matched with our kids, I yearned so much for the wait to be over. I thought, as I always do, that this “next thing” would be the beginning of a new life.
Head Cold Christmas
December 26th, 2012 | holidays and celebrations
Christmas was not the disaster I’d prepared for, it was a different disaster altogether. I was ready for emotional upset from the kids, remembering other homes and Christmases, big drama. They did fine.
“I decided I love you”
December 15th, 2012 | daily life
Our daughter was acting funny when we got home yesterday.
Getting to Yes
November 26th, 2012 | adoption parenting
Our angelic “terrible 2”-year-old had a big breakthrough this week. He learned to say yes!
I’ve Got the Music in Me
November 18th, 2012 | adoption holidays and celebrations
I grew up in Austin, Texas, live music capital of the country, so it was humbling to realize a few years ago that by far I’d seen local toddler band The Sippy Cups live more times than any other band my whole life. In fact, I had to admit they were perhaps my all time favorite. I might not win coolest taste in music, but I know what I like. The 6 or 7 times I took my godson to their shows were magical, and unlike adult music, I was never self conscious dancing to the beat. Being an adult in a mosh pit of 4-year-olds brings some advantages.
Interview with Adoption Blogger Meg
November 13th, 2012 | adoption
As part of the Open Adoption Interview project, this week bloggers who talk about adoption are interviewing each other. Here’s my interview of Meg, who writes FourWildBlueberries.com. She and her husband adopted two adorable kids at birth, and they maintain a relationship with the birth mom. Meg writes about adoption, family life, and amazing cooking and craft projects she gets up to (and takes fun photos of).
Fast, Fastly Forward
November 8th, 2012 | daily life holidays and celebrations
Halloween came and went, in a pumpkin-pulpy, sugary blur. The kids seemed stunned that we’d just knock on neighbors’ doors, asking for sweets. I guess it is strange. But so much of their new life mush seem strange to them!
Unappetizing Choices
October 13th, 2012 | daily life holidays and celebrations
I knew there was no winning this one: flu shot was not going to be popular. The sooner I told her what we were doing Saturday morning, the more the anxiety and upset could build. But the longer I waited, the worse the surprise would be.
In Praise of Doing Not So Much
October 12th, 2012 | daily life
I took a walk with a friend and fellow business owner this week. We encourage each other to be entrepreneurial, we have projects to discuss. You could say we had a good alibi.
These Clothes Don’t Fit
September 30th, 2012 | daily life
It’s a trivial problem that one could only have in an affluent society. At different times I’ve found myself staring at all the clean clothes in my closet thinking, there’s nothing to wear! Or packing for a trip, I get anxious that the “perfect outfit” for a particular day and a particular need will elude me. I’m a minor hoarder and purger, keeping clothes long past the time I actually wear them, whether they no longer fit, are out of style, or I’m just bored with them. Then I panic when I realize most of my clothes aren’t really “me” anymore. Suddenly that sweater I’ve always relied on seems definitively out of date.
Barfing Rhinestones and Other Miracles
September 23rd, 2012 | adoption
Until today when I found out how easy it was, I think in the back of my mind I always worried about the medical instruction “induce vomiting.” But it’s really simple. When the 2-year-old gobbled up a bunch of his sister’s big plastic gemstones, I started rooting around in his mouth to get all the crap out, and I found the magic spot that caused a quick resolution. Instant barf, sparkles included. Disaster avoided, again!
The God of Obstacles
September 11th, 2012 | daily life
A huge weight was lifted from us this week. Our daughter has a kindergarten class! A mere 10 minutes’ walk from here!
More on Kindergarten
September 2nd, 2012 | adoption gay dads
It’s becoming clear that our daughter not having a kindergarten assignment is pushing buttons I wasn’t fully aware of.