A few weeks ago, I was walking to lunch with a coworker who has a son about Ruby’s age. He mentioned that he and his wife have been trying to avoid using spelling or oblique references in their son’s presence. For example, if there’s a debate about whether to have ice cream for dessert, they [...]
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, and [...]
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) and [...]
It was bound to happy sooner or later. Try as we might to shield Ruby from the infectious outside world, we knew that eventually she’d be exposed. Sending her to preschool only increased the odds, and now, finally, it has happened: she’s been invited to a Disney Princess Birthday Party.
Kate and I both anti-princessification, for [...]
Ruby and I are spending every Tuesday this summer down at the Green Lake pool, taking a half-hour swim class. While Mama is off playing racquetball, we get to bob and bond among the splashing toddlers.
Ruby can’t swim, of course, but she’s getting more comfortable in the water. She generally hangs onto me as we [...]
I’m starting off another work week with a sore back. It’s now been six months that I’ve had constant lower back pain. I’ve tried both resting and exercising, and neither has seemed to work — although I’m still working hard on the latter and have only recently started making decent progress towards some [...]
Work is ramping up for a big release next week, and so I’m working longer hours than usual. And that means I’ll be spending less time with Ruby.
Right now my work hours are shifted a little early than in the morning so that I can come home and have dinner with my family. [...]
My great-grandfather was John Keelty. We called him “Pop”. He had three daughters and so no one in his family carried the Keelty name until I was born and my parents named me Stephen Todd Keelty.
When my great-grandfather died I (as the last of his line to carry the name “Keelty”) was given his war [...]
Ruby had a good time. She loved her costume and walked from house to house like a pro. She quickly figured out that it was all about the candy, even though she’s never really had any candy before. “Trick or Treat” is still a mouthful for her, but at least she said please, thank you, [...]
Kate and I have been suffering the past few days. I injured my back playing soccer on Thursday and have been barely able to stand. Kate picked up a bug on the way back from Mexico, and so she’s been feeling drained — and hasn’t been able to relax because I can’t [...]