Year 5, Day 362

"Daddy look!" he said, proudly holding a drawing up for me to see. "I made a real-life treasure map." My immediate fear: did he bury something of mine somewhere?

Year 5, Day 350

I was brushing my teeth this morning when I heard something slide under the bathroom door. I glanced over and saw a piece of folded paper, but before I could step over to it, Miles just came in anyway (violating one of our house rules, but anyway...). "Daddy!" he said. "I made you this!" This … Continue reading Year 5, Day 350 →

Year 5, Day 338

"DADDY!" Miles called from downstairs. "CAN YOU GET THE THING THAT PRESSES??" The "thing that presses" that he was referring to was a stapler, and he was requesting it because he had completed the illustrations in his FIRST BOOK. At his direction (I'm a firm believer in artistic vision, after all), I stapled the pages … Continue reading Year 5, Day 338 →

Year 5, Day 326

The focus of Miles's artwork can be...well, inspiring, yes, but also unexpected.

Year 5, Day 314

Shuffling through the bundle of papers he brought home from school, Miles excitedly showed Jaclyn and I a picture he had drawn. "Look!" he said, pointing as he explained (mostly to Jaclyn). "That's you and that's Daddy and that's a smiley face and that's from when you got married!" The piece in question. The "when … Continue reading Year 5, Day 314 →

Year 5, Day 296

Today, Miles composed (and/or dictated) his letter to Santa Claus. Never mind the fact that Miles has had at least two encounters with Santa already this holiday season; after all, you never know when last-minute inspiration will hit. Fortunately, there's a drop off box for North Pole mail right here in our neighborhood!

Year 5, Day 273

I was coming downstairs this morning when Miles, whom I had not even seen yet today, called out from the living room: "Daddy! Do you want to see the skeleton parts of Santa's body??" ...annnd back to bed. I don't know what that was all about, but I think I'm good.

Year 5, Day 270

"Look at this card I made for Papa!" Miles said this morning, in yet another one of his attempts to delay leaving for school. And he knew it would work, because I'm always interested in seeing how is artistic ability is developing. ...my God. "What am I looking at here?" I asked, shaken by the … Continue reading Year 5, Day 270 →

Year 5, Day 261

On Friday, the world lost someone who was certainly one of the biggest icons of my middle school years (and onward, really) -- Kevin Conroy, the longtime voice of Batman across countless animated projects and video games. Given his impact on me, and knowing Miles's own interest in the character, I focused quite a bit … Continue reading Year 5, Day 261 →

Year 5, Day 223

In keeping with the spookiest season of the year, Miles brought this drawing home from school today: I have no idea what this monstrosity is, but I sure as hell hope it isn't "something he sees in his room at night."