Spain Dad, a baby blog

Balancing a cup of tea, I cracked open the door and slipped into the back of the room. The lights were dimmed, but I could see shadows of people sitting around tables, all looking towards the front where light rained down on a man on stage. He spoke into a microphone about something that was [...]

Two girls sat in the sand. The one was just old enough to be interested in what the other was doing, which was dragging a plastic rake in figure 8′s between them. I watched the girls while Alleke went up and down and around the slide like it was a merry-go-round. I was curious about [...]

Yesterday I was talking to this French guy named Franck at the playground. He asked me how long I had lived in the neighborhood. “Three years,” I told him. “You must know most of these people then,” he said. I look around. “I don’t know any of them,” I said. We talked some more, and [...]

April and I don’t usually parent at the same time. We take turns. One of us takes care of Alleke, and the other is running errands, meeting up with a friend, or relaxing. I’m surprised at how little time we actually spend together as a family. Today, for example, I have Alleke in the morning. [...]

Potty training was Alleke’s idea. She came streaking through the apartment, dripping from her inflatable swimming pool in the kitchen. I watched her hop like a dolphin with her knees together and disappear into the bathroom. “Potty,” she yelled, and I bolted out of my chair. She sat on her potty and kicked her legs [...]

We put in a swimming pool. It’s been so hot we’ve been lying around the apartment like lizards, and even the thought of crossing the city to go to the swimming pool sounds as savage as walking on hot coals. April was hanging laundry on the roof the other day and realized we were thinking [...]

Watch This is how we know Alleke really likes something… on Vimeo. Why is it that kids look so cute when they act like grown-ups?

A Young Entrepreneur on a Hot Day at Portland State by rachaelvoorhees. All you need to know to understand my neighborhood is that today when I took Alleke down to the playground, there were two little girls who had set up a little stand—not a lemonade stand, as perhaps I would have expected, but a [...]

April stood at the corner of the playground and blew bubbles. Alleke stood next to her and watched as one little girl left her shovel in the sand and started swatting at the small, crystal planets hovering in orbit over their heads. Two little boys on the teeter totter noticed next and came running. Before [...]

Alleke’s favorite summer snack. They’re easy to make, healthy, and cold. Preparation Time: 10 min. Servings: 10 popsicles Ingredients: 2 nectarines 1 1/2 cup peach yogurt 1/4 cup juice (we use 100% peach and grape juice) 1 tsp honey Preparation: Blend ingredients. Pour into popsicle molds and put them in the freezer. Notes: Use whatever [...]