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Robert and the Refrigerator Magnets

August 24, 2007 at 6:12pm By: Mr. Wilson Posted in 625 Elm Street

It isn’t the most exciting video of Robert, but here’s a clip I recorded yesterday:

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Getting Older Every Day

August 13, 2007 at 12:30pm By: Mr. Wilson Posted in 625 Elm Street

I swear I can see Robbie grow each and every day. It’s not so much his size that’s changing. He’s still very much a shrimp. Rather, he learns new things and tries new activities all the time. It really is amazing to watch.

One of his firsts this weekend was that he finally tried—and liked!—some new solid foods. He ate several pieces of apple and banana, rather than just their mushed-up versions. Until now, Robert’s gag reflex has been on hyperdrive and it has been all but impossible to get him to try foods with certain textures. (Would you be eager to try new foods if every time you did so, no matter how good it tasted, you horked a little of your lunch into your lap?) I’m crossing my fingers that this may be the start of a new trend.

I taught Robbie to blow kisses. Every kid needs to know how to blow kisses.

The other day Robbie and I walked all the way around the block. That was a big milestone. It took us a while, but by the end those little legs had traveled over a quarter mile without any help from dad. That’s gotta be like 10 miles in toddler distance.

The Missus and I keep mental lists of observations we have made regarding folks’ interactions with Robbie, in particular regarding his adoption. I caught a new one the other evening. I walked around Old Navy while The Missus tried on several outfits. One woman really took a liking to Robbie. At one point she said, “He certainly is a keeper.” I use that phrase all the time, so at first I didn’t think anything of it. Then I realized something: some adoptive parents and adopted children might really take offense at the notion that some kids are “keepers” while others are not. I had never thought about that interpretation until just then. Hmm, I’m going to have to be careful about how I use that phrase in the future.

Oh, one last thing before I go. Yes, Mrs. CU, Robbie and I will be dropping by soon to see you. He looks forward to helpfully pointing out all of the non-baby-proofed items in your house.

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My Son is a Cannibal

August 9, 2007 at 3:15pm By: Mr. Wilson Posted in 625 Elm Street

Sentences you don’t plan to hear:

“If your son doesn’t stop biting kids he won’t be allowed to come back to the Y.”

Maybe I’m a bad parent, but the first thing I did when I heard that was burst out laughing. For one thing, the mental image of shrimpy little 15-month old Robbie walking around and nibbling on other kids is pretty amusing. And then there’s the woman’s reaction to Robbie biting one kid. I may be mistaken, but I was under the impression that kids bite each other now and then. They’re experimental that way. Kids skin their knees; they have tantrums; and they occasionally bite. Threatening expulsion after one incident seems a tad over-the-top. That’s like threatening to put a puppy to sleep after it playfully nips at your finger.

Plus, it’s a little refreshing to see that Robbie is trying new foods.

Not that I condone biting, of course. If we ever catch Robbie biting someone he will be punished to the extent you can punish a 15-month old. We’ve had pretty good success with our discipline techniques so far (knock on wood!), so I don’t see why we can’t nip this behavior in the bud, if there’s even anything to nip. Robbie aims to please; he is typically mortified to discover that he did something that makes mom and dad mad.

Anyway, here’s hoping our little cereal biter doesn’t become a serial biter. At the rate prosecutors are charging kids with crimes these days, little Robbie could find himself with a rapsheet before he’s two.

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