December 2010

December 2010

Television would have us believe that on Christmas morning all kids (after having dreamt of sugar plums and such) come tumbling down the stairs to pillage the tree. All the while, mom and dad watch the carnage while sipping cider, hot chocolate, eggnog, or whatever...

Spending Christmas morning with my parents is important, and in many ways similar to this, but it starts off in a very different way.

I wake up early, before the sun rises, put the kettle on and wake the kids. As we're getting some breakfast ready and packing up the car, mom comes shuffling down the hallway like an extra from a zombie movie.

This is where I get some measure of retributionfor our Fourth of July shenanigans...driving across the state for Christmas morning and cinnamon rolls with my folks.

I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

November 2010

November 2010

Baking in November is so wonderful...the house fills with the smell of fresh bread and becomes warm from the oven, while the activity warms us. Abigail is an eager helper and has become a whiz with the mixing spoon. Kneading the dough and scooping flour off the countertop are also favorite baking activities for her. The joy of time spent with this wonderful little helper outweighs the fact that she is covered in flour and her clothes usually need to be changed when we're done.

Sometimes though, her willingness to help out can be a bit much. It can be difficult at times to convince a two and a half-year-old that, in fact, you do NOT need help taking the bread out of the oven.

I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

Daily Life 023: Drawing

October 8, 2010 - Daily Life 023: Drawing

A couple of months ago, we gave Abby a spiral notebook to use as a journal. She likes to draw her name, her hands elaborate, multicolored, scribbly compositions... We gave her a sheet of stickers which she happily used to fill the pages of her journal with a fascination combination of neat rows and layered smiley faces, stars and dogs saying "GOOD JOB!". The point is, she draws in the book, and (usually) not on the walls or bills.

Sometimes when shes sitting at the table drawing, I'll get my book out and draw too. Abby will lean over the table, balancing precariously on one foot and ask "What you drawing, daddy?" in her little voice. This particular time I was drawing her, drawing. "You drawing Abby drawing... daddy?" Yes, most answers are repeated as new questions. This is a sign that she will soon be shoving her journal toward me and demanding drawings of cars, or animals, or Shrek. Which results in a mad dash to get down a passable likeness before she turns the page and demands something different.

And you complain that your boss wants stuff done fast?

I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

October 2010

October 2010

In the olden days, when people still thought the world was flat, and there was still so much left to be explored, maps were drawn by hand by master craftsmen. Pictures of these maps show cool little annotations like "Here there be dragons" and "Abandon all hope." On the map of my year, the annotation for October would read something like "Hang onto your seat" or "Many busy days ahead...too bad you won't have time to rake the leaves."

The annual trip to the pumpkin patch with my in-laws marks the official start of our holiday season. Seeing Abby running around, picking out a pumpkin, looking at tractors, riding the horse, or playing with the other kids is only half the fun. Enjoying the company of Amy's parents, and watching them enjoy their youngest grandchildren is the other half.


I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

Daily Life 022: Washing Dishes

September 23, 2010 - Daily Life 022: Washing Dishes

Abby loves playing in the water. She will literally stand there for an hour "washing the dishes". I was struck by just how grown up she's getting. I know I say it a lot, and will probably keep saying it, but it always surprises me when I realize that my daughter is a kid now, and not a baby.

I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

September 2010

September 2011

Fall is my favorite time of the year. Finally, with September comes a break from the heat, and it is once again comfortable to hang out in the garage and smoke a pipe. I'm often reminded of the scene in "Lord of the Rings" where Bilbo and Gandalf are smoking together after Bilbo's birthday party. The quiet familiarity of old friends, the comfortable ritual of packing and lighting the tobacco, the not too serious one-upmanship of blowing smoke rings...or not, as the case may be.

As if that wasn't enough for garage fun-time, there's also old western movies and playing Atari video-games from when I was a kid.


I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

Daily Life 021: Happy Meal

August 13, 2010 - Daily Life 021: Happy Meal

At nearly two and a quarter years old, Abby still amazes me daily with the new things that she's capable of. She's a kid now, definitely no longer my baby girl. I think she shed the last little bit of that in the months leading up to Olivia being born. She's capable of a great many physical feats (which are ALL awesome), but what amazes me most is the language. I think that there is a feeling that we have, that two-year-olds still don't have many words. That they can't have a conversation. Well. Abby can tell you who all seven of the original members of the Justice League are. Depending on how she feels, she will tell you what she did today. If she went to the pool, or rode on a train, she will tell you about that... Usually for the next two or three days.

The first time I remember this happening was late in the spring. I asked what she wanted for dinner, and in her tiny voice she clearly said, "Happy Meal". Maybe this is a sign that we ate out too much this spring?

I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)

August 2010

August 2010

I always look forward to summer with a bit of trepidation. Missouri winters are dry and cold, but our summers are hot and wet, with no wind to cool off the day. About half way through, I am just done with summer.

August is the armpit of my year. I am tired of always being hot and sticky. It's a time to stay inside with the fan blowing cool air. It's a time to play on the carpet with the kids, a time to pretend we're someplace else...I take it back, maybe August isn't so bad after all.


I started keeping track of my life with the girls in 2009, in a series of illustrated status updates called "Daily Life"...As I finish up collecting some of these stories for print books, and catch up on some freelance work, I thought it would be a good time to post some of these older stories, so that everything is collected here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :)