my kid's crappy sometimes but it's cool

i struggle day in and day out wondering if my kid resembles other kids or if she's unique in her crap-headed-ness. i know theses things shouldn't matter and no two kids are the same but i know every parent thinks it. especially when your kid's being a little shit. who wants to have the bad kid? frankly, it's embarassing and evevryone sees it as a reflection of your abilities as a parent.

with that said, thank god for the latest "newsletter" from parent-blogger extraordinaire dooce. when she compared holding a young pig to holding her daughter in the midst of a fit, i smiled. i smiled from ear to ear. finally someone to commiserate with.

it's not just me. my kid is normal. well you know what i mean. i can sleep again at night ---once the canines push all the way through-- knowing i haven't totally f'd her up already. now for the next 17 years. deep breath. don't panic.

don't let her be like me. please, don't let her be like me. anything, but not like me.

teeth--teeth--teeth

holy crap teeth suck! they suck bad! did i mention that teeth suck?

the first couple weren't bad. that whole milestone thing helped mask the pain and tears. now we're to the point of wanting to give her smoothies the rest of her life.

not only are the teeth pushing through, they're pushing through all at the same time. it seems nothing can make her happy.

she flails when you try to hold her. she flails when you put her down. she grabs, pinches, bites, anything to get your attention to say "hey you son-of-a-bitch i'm in pain fix it." in turn i reply, "i'm trying. ahhhh!" so we get nowhere and her teeth still hurt. what now?

i look out on the horizon and see the "terrible twos" quickly approaching.

parenthood, we do this by choice and somehow love every minute of it.

come back baby

while it may be all fun and games to dress them up in heels and purses, how do you stop them from growing up so fast? even though i sound like that sappy parent complianing- my baby's growing up too fast and i so wish i could just hold her again- it's kinda true. i get a little ill when i hear these words come out of my mouth but i blink and she moves futher and further away from needing me. i do however look forward to the days where she can wipe her own butt, still, all the other things that make her a baby are quickly slipping away. i know i should look forward to all the new milestones she continuously surpasses but i really just want my little girl to fall asleep on my chest again. i guess these are the feelings that lead to baby #2.

on second thought she is pretty cute when she pinches the hell out of my face because i won't put her down.

blood sisters--through pinky swear

we have made jokes from day 1 about how calli and giada are bff and can't live without one another. it's been fun. given us a few laughs. but as of late it really seems to be the case. calli has started saying giada (calli pronunciation--jaaada) and every time you ask her where giada is she looks to the picture on the fridge and points. it's very cute and it makes her smile. anytime we go the mcg's house giada comes to the door screaming and smiling to see calli. calli has other friends she enjoys time with and she does go to daycare but the relationship she has with giada seems different. they really connect. i'm not sure if that's because of the time they spent together in the nicu and all they have been through as such young people but it's neat to watch. i can hardly wait to see the trouble they get into and how close the become throughout the years.

gotta raise'em right

the other day i was swiffering after calli had eaten and i noticed her watching me. i'm not sure but i sensed her judging me. it was probably nothing but i got a little miffed at the idea. so, like any father would do, i put the swiffer in her hand and made her clean up her own mess. i wasn't cracking a whip or anything just wanted to get my point across. your mess, you clean.

i have to say she did an alright job.