milestones

I was a little worried that PC might snub me upon returning after a few days away. This time around, though, I returned to his happy smiles and the surest sign that he loves me: a well-targeted effort to nurse from the end of my nose. Being away is never easy, though my fantastic colleagues gathered at this year's NCA made it all that much better by asking to look at pictures, and indulging me by looking at one or two more than they had probably hoped to. Salut to friends far and wide!

We are happy to report that after a very brief apprenticeship, PC recently mastered rolling over from any position. Increased mobility has its downsides in terms of where he can lay down, but it also means the little reward of those times when he rolls over just because he wants to look at you.

A visit from Grandma A. is on the horizon ...

special appearances

music by andrew a.
footage courtesy grandpa chuck

songs for PC part deux

This week has brought a new spate of children's songs to the ear of PC, and these are no less random or fun than the last, and included Yankee Doodle, Lucinda Williams' "Jackson", Son Volt's "Tear Stained Eye," and Dylan's "The Times They Are a' Changin.'" 

There's more Americana in there, but I'm forgetting some of them.

Speaking of songs and parents who try to sing them, we have found with PC what Kristan has found to be true with Monster Baby--sometimes the best songs are the made up ones.

Related, check out this ambitious project by a mom who is writing a "Mammagraphy" for her baby of songs that were influential/important to her. Wow!! What a treasure. 

joke

I ran into a colleague, a math professor, in the locker room the other day.

mathprof: Hey Paul, how's your baby doing?

me: Great, he's growing like a weed (nice cliche, eh?)

mathprof: I have only one piece of parenting advice for you.

me: Okay.

mathprof: When he starts walking ....

me: Yes.....

mathprof: ... PUSH HIM BACK DOWN.

first halloween

We had a costume for Prince Clementine in our hands the other day at Target, but we had to pass because we couldn't find the right size. That, and we realized that as a five-month old, his Halloween would have consisted of us dressing him up, taking him to his grandparents, followed by the four of us taking about three dozen pictures, followed by taking the costume off. So we passed.

For the record, he would have made a KILLER bee or a very funny chicken. Though the chicken outfit made it seem like the joke was on him.

five month annibirthdary

How PC has spent the last five months

* mastering the exersaucer
* learning to grab, pull, and deposit in the mouth (dogs included)
* staring back at gawking, adoring parents and grandparents
* discovering that the feet are connected to rest of body, and can be deposited in mouth
* charming strangers, especially elderly women
* nearly tripling in weight and adding 50 percent in height
* transitioning from vowel to consonant sounds
* laughing!
* being assertive--lunging toward and grabbing what and who he wants

potentially lanky additions: The Landino Bambino

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" has been running through my head today. What a song! We haven't sung it to PC yet, but there's time. I have many good memories of this song---the extended Achter family used to sing it together after big family dinners sometimes. Along with "Someone's In the Kitchen With Dinah."** With harmonies, of course.

Thinking about these singalongs, which still happen occasionally, brings to mind the wonderful news that Cousin Julie and Neil are expecting. Woohoo!

And they've got themselves a primo pre-natal nickname: The Landino Bambino. Look out, Prince Clementine!

Special thanks to my wonderful cousin for the hoodie PC wears in this picture. Here's wishing you health and happiness.

**after further review, it appears these songs are one in the same.

your favorite children's song

PC is being introduced to a pretty strange range of songs these days.

Yesterday's songs included:

**"I'm a Little Teapot," which plays out of a toy his grandma just bought
**A series of Radiohead tunes, played on guitar and sung by his dad
**our own creation, The "Stinkybutt" Song. This gets five plays per day.
**"Home on the Range" on guitar and sung. Easy and amusing. Grandpa's favorite.
**"Lift Every Voice And Sing," aka the Black National Anthem, sung by his parents in the car to soothe him

Clearly, given these selections, we're not qualified to be parents.

What's your favorite kid's song?

iChat

This is how PC looks on the Internet. In Milwaukee.

Photo Credit: John Jordan (the fool face in the corner)

maybe he'd like debating?

Today and tomorrow I'll be starting my day by judging college debates held on campus. About 200 two-person teams are in town for the annual event. Though I never debated on an official team, organized debate, or "The Activity," as it is sometimes called within the group, is quite a spectacle to behold, and one that I would be proud to see PC take up.

When I arrived this morning for the 8 am round, I noticed a couple things that make The Activity seem different. First off, the smokers. Elite debaters work hard, really hard, which sometimes requires not sleeping much, hence, nicotine addictions are abundant. The same can be said for caffeine and taurine-laced speed drinks, which are so popular that Red Bull sometimes sets up camp at tournaments and gives out free samples. No doubt, this is a compliment to college debaters, on the logic that if they drink Red Bull, so will other kids on university campuses. Why? Because so many debaters are such good students. Nike has been known to give free shoes to the best playground basketball players, too. The second thing I noticed was groups of three and four huddled together, discussing .... well, I don't know. These were coaches with their teams and gigantic tubs of evidence, doing last second preparation. I quickly realized that I should act like I wasn't paying attention to these huddles because I could have easily been an opposing coach eavesdropping for a competitive advantage. Which I wasn't.

Obviously smoking cigarettes and chugging energy drinks are not good reasons for any kid to debate. Nor do they typify the whole group. What does is caring about major public issues, and the willingness to devote serious amounts of time to researching those issues and to travel to as many as fifteen tournaments a year for the debates. Each debate lasts about two hours, and each team is in eight debates per tournament. Do the math. It's downright demanding to debate at the university level, just as demanding as any Division I sport is. These kids defy all your stereotypes that college students are lazy and apathetic, if ever that was true. The debates have to be tightly organized and the best teams are usually those who have not only the evidence to win, but the ability to speak convincingly, clearly, and with passion. It's not easy.

This year the national topic is a timely one: namely, should the United States step up constructive engagement in the Middle East? The possible angles for arguing either side are almost endless, and the good that can come out of researching and participating in The Activity equally infinite. PC could do so much worse than spend his weekends as these 400 students are.

At the end of two hours this morning I had learned a little about Iran (less than I'd have liked) and a little more about something called "critical cartography." My head was spinning but my decision was made: it was Fordham over George Mason by a hair.