Boston won. The post-game ceremonies started. This was important stuff, so I made Ruby pay attention. We watched them award the Conn Smythe to Thomas, and she noted the maple leaf adorning it. Then they carried out the Stanley Cup and called Zdeno Chara over. The moment came, and he hoisted it over his head [...]
Papa Tips #5: The Explicit Handoff
April 20, 2011
Ah, family life. Just the three of you, gathered together, curtains drawn against the world, building your new little life together. Being wise parents, you understand the importance of continued personal development. You make sure that you have time together and apart — even if apart means being in the next room. So while one [...]
Papa Tips #4: Use Your Accent
April 18, 2011
You’ve had your baby. You’ve gotten through the first week or so, and maybe even a routine is starting to re-emerge from the chaos. It’s just you and your partner, building a little family in your little home, and all is sweet. Your partner deserves a little quiet time, so you take babbling baby into [...]
Taking a Five-Year-Old to Paris
April 13, 2011
Ruby and I returned yesterday from a 12-day trip to Paris (with a dogleg to London). The vacation was amazing: Ruby is an energetic, enthusiastic, resilient and amiable travel partner. Planning a trip like this with Ruby was a little daunting. I was excited to take her away to a foreign culture and experience it [...]
How To Explain DADT to a 4-year-old
September 22, 2010
This morning, in response to a story on NPR, Ruby asked me what “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” means. Never one to shy away from an opportunity to explain extraordinarily complicated issues to a young child, I dove right in… First I started by explaining that the people in the army and navy don’t have as [...]
Papa Tips #3: Asterisk Mode
July 1, 2009
Okay, your new child is two days old. You’ve been camped in your bedroom for the past 36 hours, wrapped up in all things baby. But you’ve run out of bread and milk and coffee and so it’s time to go to the grocery store. So you leave your partner with the child, throw on [...]
Papa Tips #2: Take Time Off
July 1, 2009
This one is probably obvious to most people, although the reasoning behind it might be a surprise. The days after your baby are born are amazing, energetic, frantic, sleepy, exhausting, exhilarating times. You don’t want to miss a second of it. It’s a no-brainer that you’ll want to take a week or so off work [...]
Papa Tips #1: Be There For The Birth
June 9, 2009
Now is a great time to become a father. Never before has our culture granted men such leniency in defining the role they wish to play as parents. You can be more engaged in all aspects of your children’s live. And there’s no better place to start than at the birth. Among many little joys [...]
Ping Pong Soup
April 28, 2009
Here’s a great recipe that is perfect for those days when I come home from work with no ideas for dinner, some random ingredients in the fridge, and a Ruby who wants to spend time with Papa. The recipe is simple: just put a carton off chicken broth in a pot, turn on the heat, [...]
Princess Party Redux
April 27, 2009
The Princess Party has come and gone and Ruby is none the worse for wear. Despite the omnipresent generic princess decor, Ruby has yet to ask to be saved from any dragons (although she does need rescuing from the occasional uncooperative button). Ruby chose to dress in her bee costume (her other option was ladybug) [...]