Year 3, Day 322

Like so many parts of his vocabulary and phrasing, I'm not quite sure where Miles picked this up, but he frequently prefaces sentences with, "I say..." He doesn't do this in that British way, suggesting that he's taken offense at something (i.e., "Well! I SAY!"), but rather in a manner that lets us know that … Continue reading Year 3, Day 322 →

Year 3, Day 202

Exactly when and how do we develop our senses of humor? I had hoped that parenting would have shed some light on this for me, but its frankly left me more befuddled than I was before. I can understand how children develop an understanding of what they think is funny. It all starts with the … Continue reading Year 3, Day 202 →

Year 3, Day 45

In his journey to potty autonomy, Miles has reached a phase, however unwarranted, of prideful obstinance. He's good about letting us know when he has to go to the bathroom, and his propensity for accidents is reducing day by day. It's unsurprising then that he's started insisting on pulling his pants down himself.As I went … Continue reading Year 3, Day 45 →

Year 3, Day 11

A child's mind is a sponge, just constantly learning and incorporating new information. But the things that take hold are frequently surprising. For instance, where did Miles learn to count off using drumsticks? Yeah, he went a little overboard the second time there, but still, that isn't something instinctual, is it?

Year 2, Day 296

"I want more eggs." - Miles, uttering his first fully-constructed sentence tonight

Year 2, Day 182

Miles has met a lot of people in the year and a half he's been alive, but I always wonder how capable he is of remembering the people he doesn't see as frequently as, say, his daycare teachers or babysitter. Does he remember his grandparents? His aunts and uncles? Well Miles had his 18-month check-up … Continue reading Year 2, Day 182 →

Year 2, Day 169

For days, our nights have been punctuated by shrieking, uncertainty, and general restlessness. Miles wakes up screaming, but doesn't want to leave his bed. He wants food, yet he refuses to eat. He wants to see Elmo, but rejects the monstrous Muppet immediately. It's left Jaclyn and I at our wits' ends. And now the … Continue reading Year 2, Day 169 →

Year 2, Day 157

While Miles talks (and babbles) more and more each day, his capacity for understanding words has demonstrably outpaced his ability to verbally articulate them. When presented with binary options (yes/no, this/that), Miles will almost always nod and shake his head appropriately. Riding home from daycare, I'll usually ask Miles if he wants to listen to … Continue reading Year 2, Day 157 →

Year 2, Day 142 – Operation: Babywalk Concludes!

In the last week, we've seen Miles start climbing to his feet, standing unassisted, bending over and picking up objects, and -- of course -- walking. This has sent Miles at long last from the infant room at daycare to the toddler room, and today saw him reach the final milestone in his journey to … Continue reading Year 2, Day 142 – Operation: Babywalk Concludes! →

Year 2, Day 137 – Operation: Babywalk Update 5!

I barely stepped in the door of Miles's daycare today when I was told to stay near the entrance while the staff started offering encouraging words to Miles, who was in an adjacent room. Moments later, Miles walked out of the toddler room and, in time, managed to step all the way over to me, … Continue reading Year 2, Day 137 – Operation: Babywalk Update 5! →