Got something in my eye.

Caleb and I had about 30 minutes to kill until his lunch time. I still can't work up the courage to watch a noisy baby DVD, so I pushed play on Finding Nemo...big mistake for Daddy. It was the first time I'd seen it since becoming a father. Needless to say, I got a little teary-eyed in the beginning.

But Caleb loved it. He sat transfixed as a colorful ocean world unfolded before him. He wasn't a zombie, mind you. He'd quietly watch for a few minutes, then crawl and play. Watch, then play; watch, then climb on the dog. He was just as stimulated by that movie as he is by videos designed for for babies his age. So if daddy's babysitting, we're watching videos we both can enjoy! Down with Baby Einstein!

Of course, I guess Caleb would be just as stimulated by anything on TV with bright colors. Wonder when I could start teaching him this:



Video games: the perfect educational tool for hand-eye-coordination!

Dinner Table Craziness

I think he's laughing because he's drunk with power.

Must be something in the water

In my previous post I mentioned my sudden confidence in doing basic handyman stuff. It continues. Yesterday I de-installed our satellite dishes, and mounted hooks on our storage shed's wall for our new extension ladder (which I bought so I could de-install our satellite dishes). Again, nothing that requires a plaque from the BBB, but big deals for me, who used to break out in cold sweats when attempting to drill even the smallest holes into our house.

While mowing the lawn after finishing the above tasks, I had an epiphany: "Father's do the things I've done today." Father's mow lawns. Father's climb high on extension ladders to work with tools. Father's use power drills like a third hand. Of course, any adult can do these things, females and the childless, too. But I remember as a kid, Dads were the ones who did these things, and because of these amazing things they could do, I think boys tend to look at them with a little bit of awe.

And I'm becoming that guy. At least I think so. It's so weird! How did this happen? Does being a father actual make you better a using power tools? Or is it some mystical relation to Father's Day? The closer the day is, the better father's become at climbing up ladders. Or is it simply three years of home-ownership catching up with me? I guess I had to learn sometime.

I don't know what the causes of my new skill set are. I just know that I love being a father (right now Caleb's trying to mash the keyboard buttons). And I take pride in providing for my family. I hope Caleb one day looks up to me in the same way I looked up to my Dad.

Handyman Here

There was a time when just holding a power drill made me nervous. Mounting coat hangers, wall organizers, picture frames, etc. seemed like something I could do, but when it was time for drill to meet the wall, I over thought things. Are my holes level? Are they too big? What if I make a mistake? How do you undo a hole?

But after three years of home-ownership, and much trial and error, I've finally gained confidence to drill holes into our walls. In the last few days, I've installed a safety gate at the top of our stairs, a hook on our shed door to keep it from closing, and a picture mobile above Caleb's changing table. I know, I know, its not much, but its a lot for me.

Stairs are Nothing!

Caleb climbed up the stairs today, with little help from me. Also, I used drywall studs to properly install a safety gate at the top of the stairs. A Stud using studs to protect the baby...I'm so not funny.